Civic Special - San Franciscans will decide on June 2nd whether to tax corporations whose CEOs make 100 times the median salary of their lowest paid workers or raise a more modest tax on larger businesses. San Francisco Public Press Executive Director Lila LaHood moderated the discussion between David Harrison, Director of Public Policy For the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce and Kim Tavaglione, Executive Director of the San Francisco Labor Council at KALW radio’s public space in downtown San Francisco.

After at least 19 women in San Francisco’s county jail alleged they were subjected to a mass strip search while deputies recorded on body-worn cameras, advocates, attorneys and city officials demanded answers. This investigative documentary examines what women say happened inside the jail’s B-pod — and the broader conditions women describe inside the facility, including prolonged lockdowns, overcrowding, lack of sunlight and untreated trauma. Through public hearings, legal records, interviews with formerly incarcerated women and advocates, and statements made by sheriff’s officials during oversight hearings, the story traces how a jail intended for temporary detention became a place where many women spend months or years awaiting trial.

English Only Version - As they compete for the seat Nancy Pelosi is vacating, congressional candidates in San Francisco are taking divergent approaches to immigration and how to connect with Chinese American voters, who comprise a sizable and politically active share of the district.

The California Constitution guarantees abortion access. More people are traveling here to access reproductive health care as their own states pass aggressive laws to prohibit abortion. This episode is a recording of our March 2 live event at the Roxie Theater in San Francisco featuring a conversation with Diana Greene Foster and Mariana Horne about the current state of reproductive health care in the United States. The panel followed a showing of the short film "Red, White and Blue" and the documentary "Trump's War on Women."

In this episode of Civic, reporter Sylvie Sturm examines how federal policy — through executive orders, funding threats and regulatory pressure — is reshaping access to gender-affirming care for transgender youth across the United States. The debate is unfolding even though no new federal law has passed and no final rules have taken effect. Yet hospitals, clinics and families are already making decisions in response to the possibility of federal penalties. Through the story of Eric, a 15-year-old high school student in Oakland, we follow how those policy battles land in real life. The episode also explores the broader policy fight: • Federal officials who argue the treatments are unsafe and should be restricted • Medical associations and clinicians who say the care can be life-saving when carefully managed • Lawyers challenging whether federal agencies even have the authority to impose such limits We hear from community health leaders, legal experts, and families navigating the uncertainty, including Dr. Tatyana Moaton Santiago of the San Francisco Community Health Center, who warns that policy threats alone can make providers afraid to offer care. Subscribe to Civic from the San Francisco Public Press for investigative reporting on the policies shaping life in San Francisco and beyond.

A panel discussion on San Francisco's 2026 elections. “Overpaid CEO Act," a major charter reform measure as well as the race to replace Speaker Emeritus Nancy Pelosi in Congress.

Guest host Rosie Bultman tells the story of the Formerly Incarcerated People’s Performance Project is culminating its run as Berkeley Repertory Theater’s first “company in residence.” A four-day festival of solo performances will feature themes from fatherhood to the prison healthcare system, as formerly incarcerated performers bring their unique experiences to broader audiences.

This episode traces the path from the days when homosexuality was labeled a mental illness, to bans on harmful therapy meant to turn LGBTQ minors straight, to a Supreme Court showdown that could roll back those protections. Featuring voices from survivors, scientists and advocates, the story unpacks how California became home to the earliest “ex-gay” movement only to face pushback with a first-in-the-nation ban on conversion therapy — and why its fate now hangs in the balance. Dr. Hooker audio excerpts courtesy of Making Gay History. Find the Making Gay History podcast on all major podcast platforms and at makinggayhistory.org. Special thanks to our underwriting sponsor: University of San Francisco MFA in Writing program.

As part of an effort to meet state mandated housing requirements, San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie has introduced a "Family Zoning Plan" that would increase building height limitations along transit corridors. Supervisors have introduced amendments to the legislation which is being voted on December 2nd, 2025. SF Public Press Executive Director Lila LaHood and KALW Executive Producer Ben Trefny moderated a town hall conversation bringing together stakeholders with different ideas of how to move forward. Panelists include: Brianna Morales, the Community Organizer at the Housing Action Coalition (HAC), a member-supported advocacy organization dedicated to expanding housing opportunities for people of all income levels. Sharon Ng, a community planner representing REP-SF, the Race & Equity in All Planning Coalition. Jane Natoli, the San Francisco Organizing Director at Yimby Action. Fred Sherburn-Zimmer, an economic justice organizer. They are the Campaigns and Policy Director at Housing Rights Committee of San Francisco. The panel was recorded at KALW on 220 Montgomery Street in San Francisco.

Stuart Schuffman, aka Broke-Ass Stuart, started with a homemade zine, listing cheap eats, drinks and events. Along the way he became a TV travel host, publisher and mayoral candidate. He became an influencer offline before social media made influencer viable a career choice.