ter (about 41 trillion gallons

independent reporting expands their worldview and contributes to the civic health of our community. public safety -- all on a shoestring budget. We do this with the support of more than 400 dues-paying members, who believe thoughtful Since 2009, the Public Press has produced more than 20 in-depth reports -- on housing, the environment, labor, health, human rights and You read it right. We can't continue to pursue explanatory and investigative reporting about local public policy without your support.

Help us tell San Francisco’s untold sto

León, D-Los Angeles, will bring almost unparalleled

Still, Brown and Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de in the state Assembly shied away. vertising campaign in opposition, and some Democrats dropped after the oil industry launched a vigorous ad use in motor vehicles in half by 2030. That idea got

Most contentious of all was a bid to slash petroleum

1990 levels by 2050. levels by 2030 and 80 percent below reductions of 40 percent below 1990 Executive orders require emissions

2020. cap-and-trade program, which may otherwise expire in

They also failed to extend the state’s carbon-limiting deep greenhouse gas emissions cuts by the year 2050. lawmakers halted a bill that would have mandated

In the legislative session that ended on Sept. 11,

“And I think we’re making tremendous progress.” of our industrial economy,” Brown said in September.

“This is a long trek forward to change the very basis emissions. as part of a far-reaching effort to slash greenhouse gas electric cars on the road and increased use of biofuels executive orders and regulations. That will mean more achieve much of what the Legislature rejected through its share of renewable energy. Brown also hopes to cally less electricity and the power grid will increase nia’s homes and buildings are expected to use dramati

In coming years, the new legislation means Califor

Californians. T he Legislature may have scuttled the centerpiece of Gov. Jerry Brown’s climate change plans, but it still approved ambitious new environmental policies that will affect the economy and lives of

By Kate Galbraith // CALmatters

half by 2030. That portion got removed from the final the state to cut petroleum usage in motor vehicles in

The third leg of de León’s bill would have required fected as well as homes, he said.

Churches, schools and office buildings will be afcient than most other states. noted that the state already was far more energy-effi U.S. Green Building Council’s California branch, who

“It is a very big goal,” said Dennis Murphy of the to tighten. standards for electronic appliances may also continue like rebates to make homes more efficient. Energy-use It is also likely to be easier to find and use incentives usage, a helpful tool for homebuyers, among others. to get more information about their homes’ energy cient by 2030. This means that Californians can expect the state to become, collectively, twice as energy effi Oct. 7, also calls for new and existing buildings across

The renewable energy bill, which Brown signed on be effectively used to integrate renewable resources.” new technologies like storage and electric vehicles can woman, said the marginal cost should be minimal “if ers’ electric rates. Terrie Prosper, a commission spokes studied how the 50 percent target might affect consum

The state Public Utilities Commission has not yet than 20 percent of its electricity from renewables. Edison and San Diego Gas & Electric — each gets more state — Pacific Gas & Electric, Southern California structure. Currently, the three major utilities in the scale solar plants as well as new transmission infra providers must invest in more wind farms and large

The renewable energy goal means that electricity states. 2020). It is a target that is stricter than in all but a few 2030 (currently, they are required to get 33 percent by get half of their electricity from renewable sources by Senate Bill 350, to require electric power providers to the governor a landmark measure carried by de León,

Early in September, lawmakers passed and sent to change conference in Paris in December. accomplishments to a major international climatefind some tie to air emissions … that would result in a MacBride, Squeri & Day. “They would have to try to an attorney with the San Francisco firm Goodin, a direct ability to reduce petroleum,” said Brian Cragg, over air emissions, but I don’t think that translates into

The Air Resources Board “has pretty broad authority directly, in the absence of legislative action. the air board may not be able to enact petroleum cuts

Indeed, despite Brown’s fury at the oil companies, originally outlined. the order, in other words, of what de León and Brown Mui of the Natural Resources Defense Council — on a close to 50 percent cut in petroleum use, said Simon with the executive orders, that should effectively mean

But assuming the air board crafts policies to comply tion. may not follow those orders the way they would legisla Berkeley and Los Angeles. He added that some groups the law schools of the University of California in both said Ethan Elkind, a climate expert affiliated with

“It’s not really set in stone. It’s an executive order,” succeeds Brown as governor. would preserve the goal in the statute no matter who

A bill would have codified those goals into law, which greenhouse gas output. industrial plants and even perhaps farms to cut their cuts will have impacts for many sectors, prompting 2030 and 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050. These sions reductions of 40 percent below 1990 levels by Schwarzenegger. The executive orders require emis orders issued by Brown and his predecessor, Arnold greenhouse gas emissions cuts to comply with executive

The air board is already planning for long-term ted to backing them up.” is committed to that 50 percent goal, and I am commitin law of a 50 percent goal,” Brown said. “But the ARB

“The only thing we don’t have is a formal statement petroleum future anyhow. mandate had it passed, would work toward a lowerBoard, which would have taken charge of the petroleum bill. But Brown said that the California Air Resources how California’s Capitol works and why it matters. nonprofit journalism venture committed to explaining

CALmatters is a Sacramento-based nonpartisan,

agency, Lapsley said. sion, will also take a more active role in overseeing the curbing the air board’s power during the recent ses

Lawmakers, some of whom toyed with the idea of ley, president of the California Business Roundtable. don’t think they’re fair and balanced,” said Rob Laps tion, to be able to address [regulatory] decisions, if we strategies that we have available, including, like, litiga

“There’s going to be a lot more attention paid to what the agency. and the Assembly will now each appoint one member of petroleum. New legislation provides that the Senate have yet to be determined, including those that affect as it embarks on more ambitious policies whose costs creased scrutiny from both businesses and lawmakers gubernatorial appointees, is also likely to face in

But the air board, which is overseen by a panel of expect to meet in time. sions to 1990 levels by 2020 — a goal that state officials which sought to slash California’s greenhouse gas emis under a landmark piece of legislation passed in 2006,

The air board operates some of its key programs California economy. program, which limits carbon across nearly the entire to Californians. The board also runs the cap-and-trade and rewarding automakers that sell electric vehicles fuels, regulating the emissions from cars and trucks, policies that include reducing the carbon content of ready in place, Clegern said. The air board has crafted izing goals announced this year by the governor are al

The major programs needed to meet the decarbon create new regulations,” he said. not expand ARB’s authority, nor was it a directive to ever, “broadly we would note that Senate Bill 350 did that the agency does not comment on legislation. How

Air board spokesman Dave Clegern said in an e-mail reduction.”

Despite some setbacks, state still barrels ahead with goals to reduce emissions What's Left of California's Climate Change Policy? A Lot.

A Chinook helicopter from the California National Guard prepares for a water drop during the Rocky Fire near Clearlake, Calif. Photo by U.S. Army National Guard Sgt. Jason Beal In four years, costs for Bay Area residences dwarfed other expenses PAGE B8

GRAPHIC: HOUSING PRICES SHOW NATIONAL STATISTICS ARE NOT USEFUL HERE

One proposal to bridge the digital divide: offer free citywide Wi-Fi PAGE B7

DIGITAL DIVIDE LEAVES 100,000 S.F. RESIDENTS WITHOUT HOME INTERNET

Riding the bus is cheaper than driving, but only if Muni arrives on time PAGE B7

AFFORDABLE TRANSIT’S HIDDEN COST: SLOW SERVICE HITS LOW-INCOME RIDERS

Shops catering to sophisticated palates mask food insecurity PAGE B5

EVEN IN FOODIE PARADISE, MANY FAMILIES STRUGGLE TO PUT DINNER ON TABLE

Mid-Market stores are worlds apart, a sign of rapid change PAGE B4

TWO CENTRAL CITY GROCERIES CONTRAST BASIC AND UPSCALE FOOD

section B

San Francisco offers many programs; activists call for more PAGE B3

CITY SEEKS SOLUTIONS FOR HELPING RESIDENTS LOWER THEIR BILLS

Outdated poverty measure means some no longer qualify PAGE B2

PARENT TRAP: CHILD-CARE COSTS SOAR, OUTSTRIPPING SUBSIDIES

Covers families not poor enough for free clinic-based care PAGE B2

S.F. EXPANDS HEALTH INSURANCE AID TO CLOSE AFFORDABILITY GAP

similar food. price points for apart, different At markets blocks

A1_v6.indd

tation overall, since car ownership is option

San Franciscans enjoy cheaper transpor dies beyond the Affordable Care Act. low- and moderate-income residents subsi health-care safety net. It also plans to offer the nation’s most comprehensive municipal including Healthy San Francisco, perhaps

The city has made costly investments, policies just prune the edges of the problem. fordability crisis, but existing and emerging

San Francisco leaders are tackling the af crunch is most acute within city limits. is ample evidence showing that the housing Area spent over the last 15 years, and there growth in what consumers across the Bay

Housing accounts for about half the be considered poor here. would be middle class anywhere else should that more than 10 percent of residents who fordable for everyone else. Studies suggest is making living here increasingly unaf residents than any other U.S. city. That I n the drive to build a robust technologydriven local economy, San Francisco has attracted droves of high-income earn ers, giving it a larger share of wealthy

STORIES BEGIN ON PAGE B1

housing prices anytime soon. these modest efforts are unlikely to affect thousands of affordable apartments, so

Yet the need is often pegged in tens of this fall promises to build 775 units. $310 million bond issue that voters passed teachers by 2020. The mayor’s ambitious city announced a plan to house 500 school increase the housing supply, in October the tions are at risk of losing their homes. To control, subsidized housing or other protec

San Franciscans not sheltered by rent reflect the city’s economic reality. or regionwide inflation statistics that do not and low-cost housing, are based on national adjustments for wages, welfare guarantees

But many policies, including cost-of-living nutrition assistance on top of food stamps. free citywide Wi-Fi); low-cost child care; and price of Internet service (including a plan for

The city and state offer help to reduce the limits job and shopping opportunities. gain for low-income residents if slow service al. But a $2.25 one-way Muni fare is no bar

Rising local housing costs throw many into poverty

TO AID CITY’S PINCHED MIDDLE CLASS CONSUMER PRICES OUTPACE EFFORTS

2015: $3,950 2010: $3,000 2005: $2,000 Mission 800 sq. ft.

PUBLIC PRESS WINTER 2016 ISSUE 18 san francisco public press 44 page st., suite 504 • san francisco, ca 94102 THE COST OF LIVING HERESPECIAL REPORT S

independent in depth nonprofit AN FRANCISCO AN FRANCISCO N O N P R O F I T O R G U S P O S T A G E P A I D HAYWARD CA P E R M I T # 3 3 3 5

TWITTER.COM/SFPUBLICPRESS FACEBOOK.COM/SFPUBLICPRESS SFPUBLICPRESS.ORG/NEWSLETTER

NONPROFIT MEDIA PARTNERS IN THIS ISSUE

BECOME A MEMBER! SFPUBLICPRESS.ORG/DONATE

PLUS: Public Press receives journalism awards; year-end pledge drive; crossword PAGE A2

emissions and boost efficient power for homes and businesses PAGE A8

Despite failed effort to regulate fuel use, new California laws will cut greenhouse gas Climate Change Legislation Limited, but Still Powerful

half a century to release PAGE A6 the police estimate that records would take Access to crime statistics is limited because

A Police Tragi-Comic The 5-Decade Audit:

groundwater, nor can it stop PAGE A7

State cannot afford to keep pumping

Drought Conundrum California’s Costly

slow down drivers near school PAGE A6 Transportation measure funds signals that

Promises Safer Streets Traffic-Calming Test

might exacerbate urban displacement PAGE A6

State and regional efforts to protect environment

Across the Bay Area Mapping Gentrification

truly succeed PAGES A4–5 assumptions about what it takes for students to performing schools and challenged her own documenting one of San Francisco’s lowest

Author Kristina Rizga spent four years Teachers Defy Experts Mission High Students,

The Giants’ proposed $1.6 billion Mission Rock lies in possible future flood plain PAGE A3

Shoreline Building vs. Sea Rise: Not If, but When

Local press struggled to cover an election that seemed a foregone conclusion PAGE A3 With Mayor Far Ahead in Polls, Issues Got Left Behind

section A

SFPUBLICPRESS.ORG MEMBER SUPPORTED • NO ADS $1.00

Wieder • Jay Wilson • Josh Wilson • Joseph Wirt • Mina Yaroslavsky • Yao Yue • Jonathan Zuk

Switzer • Diane Tate • Maria Thompson • Irina Torelli • Anne Renee and Paul Tranchida • Jennifer Vahdati • Mary Washburn • Jerad Weiner • Jonathan • Susan Shepard • Henrike Siemen • Leef Smith • Bill Snyder • Hitesh Soneji • Nancy Spangler • Mike Sullivan • Peter Sussman • Lynda Swanson • Paul Mavis Scanlon-Marble • Peter Scheer • Sandra Rozmarin and Joseph Schlesinger • Diana Jean Schemo • Elena Schmid • Bill Schwalb • Mauri Schwartz

Edward Ritger • Catherine Robbins • Jon Rochmis • Manuel Rodriguez • Richard Rothman • Tabitha Russell • Stephen Santamaria • Caroline Sayre • Marc Parsons • Winston Parsons • Christopher Peak • Michael Poplardo • Megan Prelinger • Nanci Quinn • Jill Redhage • Shannon Rice • Allyson and

Kwan • Rosa Lara-Fernandez • Miranda Leitsinger • Tara Lemmey • Dhyana Levey • Kendra K. Levine • Linda Leong Lew • Jon Lucchese • Pam Luk • Ben Machado • Daphne Magnawa • Ryan Malloy • David Marin • Sean Patrick McCourt • Susie McKinnon • Mechanics’ Institute • Donica Mensing • Andrea Carla Michaels • Vadim Milman • William Murdoch • Jim Musselman • Stephen O'Leary • John C. Osborn • Andrew Page • Andrew Parker • • Joshua Kalven • Lydia Katsamberis • Diane Keaton • Michael Keough • Dorothy Kidd • Laura Kilgour • Bridget Kinsella • Richard Knee • Deborah Hobbs • Dawn Holliday • Maryann Hrichak • Amy Huang • Sacha Ielmorini • Vivian and Paul Imperiale • Thea Selby and Robert Johnstone • Linda Jue Roxanne Giovanetti • Oliver Graves • Eugene Gregor • Diana Hartman • Jared Hawkley • Burt Herman • Amanda Hickman • Christopher Ho • Bonnie

Escobedo • Christopher Fisher • Joe Fitz • Laura Fraenza • Matthew Francis • Christian Gainsley • Joseph Gerharz • Vanessa and Matt Ginzton • • Tim Covington • Elizabeth Cutler • Alexandria Daria • Jon Diamond • Curt Dowdy • Carlee Duncan • Andrea Dunlap • Bonnie English • Killian

Campwala • Tandy Solomon and Li Han Chan • Vincent Chao • Krisann Chasarik • Jerold Chinn • Kathleen Coll • Alexis Collentine • Mark Connors

Rena Bransten • Louis Bryan • Anna Budayr • Ali Budner • Lisa Burger • Melissa Burggraff • Nico Calavita • Robert L. Campbell • Umbreen and Kaizar

Basic members ($35+): Anonymous (3) • Gina and Tyler Alioto • Serena Allen • Kris Anderson • Michele Anderson • Reiko Ando • Mindy Aronoff • Simon Batistoni • Kevin Bayuk • Michel Bergh • Barbara Berkeley • Simon Bertrang • Monica Bhagwan • Susan Blair • Sue Blankman • E.B. Boyd • Winter • Jennifer Nguyen and Tracy Zhu • Scott Zimmermann + Community Media Center • Deborah Walker • Rina Weisman • Oak and Sok Whang • Selma Wilson • Sue Barnett and Jason Winshell • Michael • Andrew Stadler • Sari Staver • Brad Straw • Margaret Swink • Ruth Tam • Jason Tester • Lorri Ungaretti • John Upton • Giselle Velazquez • Veterans Maryam Sarrafan • Pamela Satterthwaite • David Schnake • Laura Graham and T.M. Scruggs • Randy Shandobil • Shalini Sharp • Claudia Smukler

Ruth and Allan Pleaner • John Clifford Pollard • Elizabeth Rapp • Naomi Richen • Mary Ellen and Anthony Riff • Beth Rubenstein • Dinah Sanders •

Nishimura • Linda Nix • Beline and Antoine Obeid • B. P. • Stephen Paterson • Simeon Peebler • Jennifer and Jerome Perarnaud • Maryta Piazza • Marsh • Carlos Martínez de la Serna • Eduardo Martinez • Joe Mathewson • Rob McLean • David Mitchell • Tracey Myers • Deborah Nadler • Scott

Maureen Futtner • Miles and Jesse Garnier • Brooke Ginnard • Cole Goins • Deborah Gordon • Nathaniel Green • Greg • Roma Guy • Don H. • Sasha Hauswald • Alison Hawkes • Cassidy Herrington • Sue Hestor • Shirley Huey • Otto Imken • Laura Impellizzeri • Josh Kalven • Yukari Kane • Steve Katz • Beaudry Kock • Theresa LaMay • Thomas Landry • Becky Langdon • Erika Rae Langdon • Denise Stavis Levine • Ariadne Lie • Alexis Linton • Harold Looby • Lower Haight Merchant + Neighbor Association • Aaron Luk • Roger Macdonald • Donna and Marty Mackowski • Ivy

Dennis DeWulf • Monica Pereira and Kevin Dolan • Jake Donham • London Elise • Richard Everhart • Michael J. Fitzgerald • Edward Franzwa •

Karmen Buttler • James Byers • Elise Castillo • Rene Ciria-Cruz • Bradley Cleveland • Leah Cole • James Custer • Saheli Datta • Sam Dennison •

Rod Begbie • Lynda Beigel • Sandy Blackwell • Meghan Blair • Keri Bourzac • Gray Brechin • Mary K. Bugnon • Raymond Buscemi • Larry Bush •

Azocar • Mark Backman • Cortney Balzan • Ian Bardecki • Laurie Barkin • Barbara and James Barnard • Shinwha Whang and Leon Barnard •

Cub Reporter members ($50+): Anonymous • Jan and Santo Alioto • Holly Allen • Joyce Ashizawa-Yee • Joel Aufrecht • Shannon Aviña • Cristina Frances Dinkelspiel and Gary Wayne • Jamie Whitaker

McCarthy • John McManus • Janet Monaghan and Brian McKeever • L isa Weinzimer and Glenn Nyhan • Yvonne Pingue • Michal Post • Patrick Reilly, Esq. • Julie Rioux and Stephen Revilak • Kristina Rizga • Mark Sanchez • Adam Schweigert • Jane Shabaker • Hilary Smith • Yohanna Sowler • Ellen Spertus • P-R Stark • Jon Steinberg • Tim Sweeney • Eric Talbert • Tracy Grubbs and Richard Taylor • Tina Chiu and Jonathan Toma • • Derek Kerr • George Koster • Nancy Alcott and Gunther Lie • Jennifer Loomis • Andy Lynch • Elizabeth Marchant • Kevin McKean • Michael • Victoria Schlesinger and David V. Johnson • Jennifer Leonard and David Cay Johnston • Ambika Kandasamy • Rachael Pontikes and Bob Keenan Waechtler Gibbons • Ted Glasser • Deepti Gottipati • Erikka Mikkelsen Halford • David Helder • Patrick Hillas • Sean Hunter • Amy and Adnan Iftekhar Annabelle Chern • Andrea Clark • David Conners • Denise D’Anne • Richard DeLeon • Moritz Fliedner • Patricia Franks • Gregor Gentschev • Nancy

Baumberger • Stacy Bond • The Booksmith • Brian Brosnahan • Judy Buller • Trevor Butterworth • Ann Campbell • Martin Chai • Lydia Chavez •

Beat Reporter members ($100+): Kat Anderson • Katia Asche • Gina Baleria • Theresa and Todd Bannen • Peter Barnes • Danna Basson • Berit

Columnist members ($250+): Donald M. Davis • Jim Giles • Neal Gorenflo • Kari Gray • Diana Dampsy and Ray Jones • Geri Koeppel • Margie Meier-Belt • Alison Moxley • Aleksandra Vikati and Edwin Ong • Leslie Guevarra and Richard Pestorich • Dennis Richards • Michael Siani-Rose • Stephen Silha

Mack Lundstrom • Charley Marsteller • Craig Newmark, Craigslist.org • Suzanne Skees • Yves Averous and Marc Smolowitz • Corey Stoll • Frank Stoll • Jerry Cain and Scott James • Marquita Bedway and Alger LaHood • James LaHood • Mary Anne LaHood • Elizabeth Pontikes and Michael LaHood • Editor members ($500+): Keli and David Amann • AngelHack • Camille Campbell • Megan and David Cohn • Liz Enochs • Louise Yarnall and Tom Honig Campbell • Lila LaHood • Laurie Schecter • Judith and Stephen Stoll Publisher members ($1,000+): The Eric and Cindy Arbanovella Fund • Barbara and Richard Asche • Jean and Bruce Brugmann • Patricia M. Bovan Media Reformer members: ($5,000+): Pat and Rowland Rebele

MEMBERS

Area. sff.org foundation for the Bay Philanthropic community Public Press since 2009 —

Primary funder of the communities are informed and engaged. knightfoundation.org the arts. The foundation believes that democracy thrives when people and journalism, advance media innovation, engage communities and foster Knight Foundation supports transformational ideas that promote quality

the world. fij.org ing projects around investigative reportJournalism supports Fund for Investigative

North America. inn.org news organizations across 100 nonprofit, non-partisan News consists of more than The Institute for Nonprofit

INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORTERS

• San Francisco Neighborhood Newspaper Association • Shareable • World Affairs Council • KQED Science • National Radio Project • New America Media • Public Policy Institute of California • Richmond Confidential • Richmond Pulse Island Journal • El Tecolote • Grist • KALW Radio’s “Crosscurrents” • KALW Radio’s “Philosophy Talk” • KALW Radio’s “Your Call” • KPFA Radio • KQED Radio’s “Forum” AlterNet • Bay Nature • CAGE Lab • The California Report • Center for Investigative Reporting • Center for Public Integrity • Commonwealth Club of California • Earth

OTHER PUBLIC MEDIA AND CIVIC PARTNERS

kqed.org KQED Public Radio 88.5 FM. Public Television 9, KQED Plus public television, 50 years and is affiliated with NPR and PBS. KQED KQED has served Northern California for more than KQED News Fix blog

studycenter.org/test/cce Civic Center, by the San Francisco Study Center A monthly nonprofit newspaper for the Tenderloin, Central City Extra

calmatters.org explaining Californiapolicies and politics. A nonprofit journalism venture dedicated to CALmatters

revealnews.org from the Center for Investigative Reporting. An investigative radio show, podcast and website Reveal

motherjones.com climate change to education and the food we eat. original award-winning reporting, from politics and A nonprofit news outlet that delivers bold and Mother Jones

missionlocal.org Francisco’s Mission District online and in print. An independent news organization covering San Mission Local

FEATURED IN THIS ISSUE NONPROFIT PARTNERS

sfnna.org more city residents than any other print publication. Newspaper Association’s 14 newspapers reach every month, the San Francisco Neighborhood With a quarter million copies hitting the streets San Francisco Neighborhood Newspaper Association

kalw.org culture and connection from around the Bay Area. A daily radio news magazine exploring context, KALW Radio’s “Crosscurrents”

SFPUBLICPRESS.ORG/DONATE

Membership includes an annual sub est journalism. plans starting at $5 per month. vide you with the best in local public-inter per year. We also have new pay-as-you-go Thanks for supporting our work to pro Become a member with a donation of $35 send a check or call (415) 495-7377. to raise $20,000 by Dec. 31. and join or renew today. Pledge online, our 2015 year-end fundraising campaign Learn more at sfpublicpress.org/donate join or renewing your membership during and thank-you gifts. You can help by making a donation to membership levels offer additional benefits We need your support to keep this going! San Francisco and the Bay Area. Higher better. techniques and emerging policy trends in the Bay Area understand our communities discuss ideas about innovative journalism public policy decisions and help all of us in the Public Press, including gatherings to vestigations that show the real effect of discounted admission to events hosted by

The Public Press produces in-depth in scription to the newspaper and free or

SUPPORT LOCAL INDEPENDENT JOURNALISM. MAKE A 2015 YEAR-END DONATION.

projects in 2016 on educational equity and the Bay Area’s ongoing challenge of developing affordable housing.

We are heartened by the recognition, and in light of the community response to these reports, we are planning follow-up schools sparked broad media and civic discussion. in the print/text small division. The data-driven inquiry into the increase in racial segregation in San Francisco public

The Winter 2015 cover story, “Choice is Resegregating Public Schools,” received the investigative journalism award participatory summit in June of that year, “Hack the Housing Crisis,” inspired many of the report’s ideas.

Judges praised the investigation’s “exceptional effort” in researching potential solutions, noting that the Public Press’ T wo San Francisco Public Press investigations received 2015 Excellence in Journalism Awards this fall from the Society of Professional Journalists’ Northern California chapter. “Creative Solutions to San Francisco’s Housing Crisis,” the Public Press’ summer 2014 cover story exploring nine answers to the city’s housing woes, received the explanatory journalism award in the print/text small division.

PUBLIC PRESS INVESTIGATIONS WIN REGIONAL HONORS

67 Prison area 66 X-rated 65 Do the dishes 64 Just ___ bit 63 Party pooper 62 “Fear of Fifty” writer Jong 61 Winged peace symbol 60 Monty Hall offering 59 Risque hint to 19, 24, 46-Across 51 President’s “theme song” or a 50 It may be picked added Netflix service 48 Gaming console that recently fering, perhaps 46 Poppy-seeded restaurant of44 It’s for the birds 43 Fixed a squeak 42 “Will Be,” in a Doris Day song 41 Massachusetts Cape 39 Rifle with tiny shot 38 Neither’s mate 37 Deschanel of “Almost Famous” 36 Org. for shooters thing!” 35 “I can’t believe ___ the whole 34 “Take ___ breath” 30 Alternatives to PCs 24 Fish also called the chinook 23 Jacques’ water 22 Chow down 19 Large tuxedoed bird 18 John Cusack or Bradley Cooper 17 “You betcha!” 16 Lima locale 15 More sensible 14 Wind instrument 13 Persian Gulf land 9 Area between hills 5 Derriere 1 Knocks the socks off

ACROSS

32 Hardhearted 31 Part of WASP 29 Other women, in Oaxaca 28 New Zealand natives 27 Tax form part 26 Former Dodge models

This?” (Pet Shop Boys tune) 25 “What Have ___ to Deserve

Elia 24 “On the Waterfront” director

Leakes 21 “Real Housewives of Atlanta” 20 Like Satchmo’s voice 15 It’s a long story 12 Mess up 11 Trotsky or Spinks 10 Not pro 9 Carpet cleaner 59 Darn, as socks 58 Stable diet? 57 “... happily ___ after” 56 Des Moines is its capital 55 Art forgery, maybe 54 Ripped 53 Some roulette bets 52 Boxer Muhammad and Laila 51 ___-kiri skater Kulik 49 Gold medal-winning figure 47 Zing 45 Jerk rapidly 42 “Saturday Night Live” piece 40 Time for cake and candles 39 Type of acid 1980s-’90s crisis 33 Financial inst. involved in a

Solution on page B3

FOLLOW THE LEADER

Crossword by Andrea Carla Michaels and Robert Wemischner

300 Church St. Groceteria Church Street

1400 18th St. Christopher’s Books

2195 Fillmore St. Browser Books

870 Valencia St. Borderlands Café

1644 Haight St. The Booksmith

1 Ferry Building #42 Book Passage

2251 Chestnut St. 2275 Market St. 601 Van Ness Ave. Books Inc.

653 Chenery St. and Records Bird & Beckett Books

3036 24th St. Alley Cat Books

50 Second St. Company Alexander Book

3130 24th St. Adobe Books

227 Church St. Aardvark Books

SAN FRANCISCO

2919 24th St. Modern Times

700 Columbus Ave. Melt!

1192 Guerrero St. Whole Foods Jump Start Coffee &

2181 Union St. Juicy News SF

1680 Market St. The Green Arcade

1231 9th Ave. on the Park Green Apple Books

506 Clement St. Green Apple Books

40 Market St. The Grand Newsstand

3920 24th St. Good News

455 Market St. Fog City News

3614 18th St. Faye's Video

1315 18th St. Farley’s

900 Valencia St. Dog Eared Books

261 Columbus Ave. City Lights Books

WHERE TO BUY THE NEWSPAPER

Alameda 1412 Park St.,

Oakland 1310 Broadway,

News Stand De Lauer’s Super

EAST BAY

36 West Portal Ave. West Portal Daily

1251 Third Ave. UC Market

138 6th St. Split Pea Seduction

2223 Polk St. Smoke Signals

826 Valencia St. The Pirate Store

1600 Hayes St. Parkside Market

1195 Oak St. Oakside Cafe

144 Page St. Nick’s Super Market

1A Sansome St. Nick’s Newsstand

501 Divisadero St. New Star-Ell Liquor

36 Fifth St. Mo’z Café

2435 California St.

Mollie Stone’s

Palo Alto 534 Emerson St.

Mac’s Smoke Shop

Menlo Park 1010 El Camino Real Kepler’s Books

& SFO Terminal 3 SFO Terminal 2 Compass Books

PENINSULA

Corte Madera 51 Tamal Vista Blvd. Book Passage

NORTH BAY

Ave., Berkeley Oakland 1855 Solano 5560 College Ave., Pegasus Books

Berkeley 1525 Shattuck Ave. Lucky 7 Shop

Oakland 20 Glen Ave. Issues

Oakland 33 Grand Ave. Farley’s

Oakland 5433 College Ave.

Diesel, A Book Store

BUSINESS & OPERATIONS: Jordan Iseri • George Koster • Holly Million • Glenn Nyhan David Boyer CREATIVE CONSULTANT

Amanda Hickman DATA EDITOR

Andrea Carla Michaels • Robert Wemischner CROSSWORD

Neil Ballard • Anna Vignet ILLUSTRATORS

Jaena Rae Cabrera GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Wintermeyer • Celeste Isidro (KALW) Mark Murrman (Mother Jones) • Stella Sadikin • Winni PHOTOGRAPHERS

John Angelico • Mark Hedin • Dean Takehara COPY EDITORS

Laura Wenus (Mission Local) • Angela Woodall City Extra) • Geoff Link (Central City Extra) • Sophie Murguia • Kristina Rizga • Peter Snarr • Kevin Stark • Dunaway • Tatiana Dzekon • Kate Galbraith (CALmatters) • Nathan Halverson (Reveal) • Mark Hedin (Central Noah Arroyo • Hana Baba (KALW) • Meka Boyle • Dan Brekke (KQED) • Caroline Cakebread • Dayvon WRITERS

Lyndal Cairns • Olivia Henry COMMUNICATIONS MANAGERS

Tom Guffey FALL EDITION DESIGNER

Laura Impellizzeri • Michael Winter Michele Anderson • Sara Bloomberg • EDITORS

Shinwha Whang MEMBERSHIP MANAGER

Erika Rae Langdon DIRECTOR OF DESIGN

Eric Lawson OPERATIONS MANAGER

Michael Stoll EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Lila LaHood PUBLISHER

Maryann Hrichak • Lila LaHood • Marc Smolowitz • Michael Stoll Patricia M. Bovan Campbell • David Cohn • Liz Enochs • Kari Gray • Neal Gorenflo • Tom Honig BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Published Dec. 3, 2015 (Vol. 6, No. 3) Winter 2016 • Issue 18

info@sfpublicpress.org (415) 495-7377 San Francisco, CA 94102 44 Page St., Suite 504

in depth nonprofit independent

not supported by advertising. journalism through print and interactive media the civic life of San Francisco by delivering public-interest The mission of the San Francisco Public Press is to enrich

PUBLIC PRESS SAN FRANCISCO

5California now is pumping water that is 20,000 years old. Groundwater levels have been at historic lows in most of the state since 2008, according to the California Department of Water Resources. People are drilling so deep to find water — sometimes thousands of feet — that the water water Management Act, which went into effect last year, will not require farmers to report their groundwater use until around 2022 or later. And even then, the new law requires water officials to keep farmers’ groundwater use secret, shielding gluttonous users from public scrutiny. have water problems of their own. Reveal is a project of the Center for Investigative Reporting, which seeks to engage and empower the public through investigative journalism and ground-breaking storytelling to spark action, improve lives and protect our democracy. farmland was sinking at a record pace. By the late 1970s, some areas had sunk about 30 feet. It cost the state more than $1 billion to fix just some of the damage, which included sinking bridges, cracking canals and buckling highways, according to one estimate. The sinking took off again in 2008, and farmland now is dropping at a record pace. At least one agricultural area in the Central Valley is on pace to sink 30 feet — the equivalent of a threestory building — by 2030. 3 It will take at least 50 years for the Central Valley’s aquifers to naturally refill, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. But only if everyone stops pumping groundwater immediately. That’s because the aquifers naturally refill at a rate of about 2 million acre-feet a year (650 billion gallons) as rain and snowmelt from the mountains seep underground, according to Claudia Faunt, a government hydrologist. But she stressed that this was only an estimate. Since California doesn’t consider ground water a public good, no government agency is closely monitoring it, including exactly how many years it will take to replace all that drained water, she said. Even so, no one believes it’s economically prudent or humanely advisable to immediately stop pumping groundwater so the aquifers can refill. That is because researchers studying the drought at the University of California, Davis, determined this year’s water shortage, which equates to 2.5 million acre-feet, will cost the state $2.7 billion. If California farmers, who produce almost half of all the fruits, nuts and vegetables grown in the United States, stopped pumping groundwater, it almost certainly would send food prices soaring. And what happens when food prices go up? People around the world starve. 4 California has permanently lost about 18 million acre-feet (6 trillion gallons) of water during the past century, accord ing to the U.S. Geological Survey. Aquifers partially collapsed as they were drained and forever reduced the state’s capacity to store water underground. So even if the state’s aquifers are miraculously refilled, it will be with 6 trillion fewer gallons, enough to give every human who has ever lived a 55-gallon drumful of water. being pumped to the surface seeped underground when California was home to mastodons, an ancient creature that resembled modern elephants. 6 A great swath of the Central Valley is desert. Some of the bright-green farmland in the San Joaquin Valley gets only about 5 inches of rain a year — that’s just an inch more than Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Before irrigation, much of the Central Valley was parched ground, cactuses and slow-growing shrubs. Now it’s increasingly covered in nut trees like pistachios and almonds, or thirsty grapevines, which are water-intensive crops and incapable of being fallowed during drought years. Overall, the Central Valley does not get much rain. So as these water-intensive crops have been planted during the past decade, demands on water have surpassed the capacity of the massive irrigation canals built more than 50 years ago. The result? See No. 1 and No. 2 above. 7 No one knows how much groundwater California has left. No one even knows how much the state currently is pump ing from the ground. Researchers at UC Davis estimate that close to 60 percent of the state’s water sup ply comes from groundwater, while hydrologists at the U.S. Geological Survey say 65 percent, and a NASA researcher told The New York Times that it is 75 percent. How is it possible that no one knows? California does not require farmers to report how much groundwater they pump. Many other states do. California’s Sustainable Ground 8 Every time California drains its aquifers during a drought, it makes the next drought worse. The late Joseph Poland, a legendary hydrologist with the U.S. Geological Survey who helped develop many of to day’s scientific theo ries of groundwater and subsidence, discovered that dur ing the California drought of 1976–77, groundwater levels dropped 10 to 20 times faster than during a drought a decade earlier. It was not because farmers were pumping more water. It was because there was less water underground. The aquifers were smaller. They had partially collapsed during that previous drought. (See No. 4 above.) With less water underground, the same amount of pumping resulted in the water tables falling much, much faster. This happened again during the 1987–92 drought, and it is hap pening now. (See No. 5 above.) 9 The electricity needed to pump groundwater now is about 5 percent of the state’s total energy use. That is an increase of 40 percent over normal years — or enough electricity to power every home in San Francisco for three years, according to a Reveal analy sis. In Saudi Arabia, an economist calculated that the country used about 10 percent of its electricity to pump groundwater. Now Saudi Arabia is nearly out of water. It became the first wellpublicized example of a country depleting its aquifers to near exhaustion. Its 30 million people are drinking mostly desalinated seawater, which is too expensive to use for irriga tion. At one point in the mid-1990s Saudi Arabia was pumping so much groundwater that it transformed its deserts into farmland and became the world’s sixth-largest exporter of wheat. But because its aquifers are depleted, the Saudi government an nounced that 2016 will be the last year the country produces wheat. It is importing most of its crops from overseas — from places such as Arizona and California, which now It will take at least 50 years for the Central Valley’s aquifers to naturally refill, but only if everyone stops pumping groundwater immediately. California does not require farmers to report how much groundwater they pump.

Back in the 1960s, Central Valley experienced costly subsidence, too.

California in the 1930s. It primar ily affects farmland, since farmers use about 80 percent of the state’s water, although cities such as San Jose and San Luis Obispo have H.D. McGlashan measures streamflow in the Merced River in Yosemite National Park, circa 1920. Velocity and water-depth measurements along a stream cross section are used to calculate the volume of water passing a certain location in cubic feet per second. U.S. Geological Survey photos scary. It first was documented in this subsidence. Most people call it the removed water. Scientists call to partially fill the space left by aquifers are drained, the land sinks last year. As the below-ground his land sank more than 18 inches 2 California is sinking at a record pace — one farmer in the Central Valley reported

historic average. past decade is more than double the rate of aquifer depletion during the water seems to be worsening. The tunately, this reliance on ground supply of drinking water. Unfor person on Earth with a 30-year enough fresh water to provide every of Lake Erie or, put another way, equivalent of draining about a third U.S. Geological Survey. That is the 1920 and 2013, according to the from the Central Valley between 1 Californians drained about 125 million acre-feet of groundwa ter (about 41 trillion gallons)

water as they want.

Landowners may pump as much water as it does surface water. good. It does not regulate ground sider groundwater part of the public reservoirs, the state does not con unlike with its rivers, lakes and of California’s water supply. But now accounts for about 60 percent is keeping the state hydrated. It W ith an alarmingly dry winter and reservoirs’ water levels dropping fast, groundwater increasingly

By Nathan Halverson // Reveal