Mike Chen 陳懋華
@mikechensf.com
San Francisco housing, transportation, good government 🏳️🌈🚌🌉
Even more bonkers, Amir Hassan raised $700k while Thomas J. Smith reported no financial activity (I think <$5k). This is a shocking result. #MI08
The Downballot@the-downballot.com · 20h agoSeems like an upset might be brewing in the GOP primary in #MI08 to take on Dem Rep. Kristen McDonald Rivet. Trump endorsed Amir Hassan, but he currently trails an absolute nobody who suspended his campaign a month ago by a wide margin.
Seems like an upset might be brewing in the GOP primary in #MI08 to take on Dem Rep. Kristen McDonald Rivet. Trump endorsed Amir Hassan, but he currently trails an absolute nobody who suspended his campaign a month ago by a wide margin.
CA Dem Proposition positions Yes✅ 1 Affordable Housing 2 Rainy day fund 3 School funds 4 Election public financing 5 Recall reform 37 Homeownership 38 Med research 40 Billionaire Tax No❌ 39 Vote suppression 41 blocks Prop40 42 blocks Prop40 43 Restricts taxes 44 Clinic spending reg 45 CEQA changes
Congressional primaries in New York City and San Francisco: we underdiscuss how the election systems shape outcomes. #SanFrancisco #NewYorkCity
Today I learned that @milesintransit.com went to the same university as me. There's a nice profile of Miles Taylor (transportation planner for @mbta.com) in the alumni magazine. omnia.sas.upenn.edu/story/public...
A Public Calling
For four Penn Arts & Sciences alums, working in local government has proved a rewarding vocation.
omnia.sas.upenn.edu
As a transit rider, I joined my colleagues and transit advocates in calling for the preservation of hundreds of millions of dollars in funding for transit programs that is at risk of being lost. Public transit is essential for our state's economy and addressing climate change. 🚆 🚍️
@sfmta.com to lead study on extending #SanFrancisco Central Subway to North Beach, funded by the Board of Supervisors acting as the County Transportation Authority. #Transit thevoicesf.org/supervisors-...
Supervisors fund study to expand Central Subway to North Beach - The Voice of San Francisco
Transportation planners in the city will study a Central Subway extension to North Beach following approval from city supervisors to allocate local transportation sales tax dollars to fund the study. ...
thevoicesf.org
Nearly all ballots have been counted in San Francisco. Turnout is 50.6%, higher than 2022 (46%), lower than the "blue wave" of 2018 (53%). 269,836 counted 1,800 ballots left to count (mostly provisional ballots) 533,546 voter registration
Mike Chen 陳懋華@mikechensf.com · 2mo agoFriday update: based on estimated uncounted ballots, San Francisco primary election turnout is around 50.6%. #SanFrancisco #SFElections 176,647 ballots counted 93,300 estimated ballots left to count 533,546 voter registration
Friday update: based on estimated uncounted ballots, San Francisco primary election turnout is around 50.6%. #SanFrancisco #SFElections 176,647 ballots counted 93,300 estimated ballots left to count 533,546 voter registration
Mike Chen 陳懋華@mikechensf.com · 2mo agoSan Francisco Dept of Elections released the Thursday update an hour ago. With received uncounted ballots, the estimated turnout is 50.3%, higher than the 2022 midterm at 46.4%. Turnout could go up as more ballots arrive by mail. #SanFrancisco #elections #sfelections
In the Los Angeles Mayor race, the fight for the second spot is still uncertain between Nithya Raman and Spencer Pratt. It could take through the end of next week to find out.
Taniel@taniel.bsky.social · 2mo agoLos Angeles County says it has roughly 688K ballots left. We don’t know exactly how many will be within city of Los Angeles. But we can estimate based on count so far. Based on that, I think Raman needs to win what’s left over Pratt by roughly 12-12.6% to catch up. She won today’s batch by 13.2%.
San Francisco Dept of Elections released the Thursday update an hour ago. With received uncounted ballots, the estimated turnout is 50.3%, higher than the 2022 midterm at 46.4%. Turnout could go up as more ballots arrive by mail. #SanFrancisco #elections #sfelections
Jane Natoli 🥑🚲🍍@wafoli.bsky.social · 2mo agoOh hey look, turnout is actually GOING UP. Please quit saying that this was a low turnout election in San Francisco until we actually know what the turnout is. Right now it looks like it will be higher than our last Midterm Primary www.sfelections.org/results/2026...
Best reporting I've seen to date on what last week's @airresources.bsky.social vote could mean for Muni: cuts to free and reduced-fare programs, and a big gap in capital funding for the upgrades to the train control system.
A California environmental board voted to cut $202M from SF’s eco-friendly transit
Muni stands to lose hundreds of millions with changes to a state program that funds public transportation by charging firms for permits to emit carbon.
sfstandard.com
California Governor election: Berkeley IGS poll. 25 Becerra 21 Hilton 19 Steyer 11 Bianco 07 Porter 07 Undecided 04 Mahan 5,472 likely voters, 2%p margin of error Source: LA Times www.latimes.com/california/s...
How hot is San Francisco's rental market? Hot enough that people are offering finder's fees.
- FAIR Plan, the California government-backed home insurer of last resort, announces rate changes effective Oct 15: - Average rates up 30% -- ~75% of customers' rates up --- ~50% of customers' rates up 30-50% -- ~25% of customers' rates drop 0-80% www.sfchronicle.com/california/a...
One of California’s largest insurers will hike rates nearly 30% this fall
The 30% rate hike is an average, with some policyholders seeing increases that are even higher.
sfchronicle.com
This is wild: Yomiuri News reports that due to the Iran War, Japan is facing a critical shortage in naphtha, a key material in making potato chip bags, and printing ink. As a result, the snack giant Calbee has announced that they are adopt black-and-white packaging for most key products 🫠 🫠 🫠
ナフサ不足、ポテチの袋を白黒にする…カルビーが方針
【読売新聞】 カルビーが「ポテトチップス」などの主力商品で、パッケージを白黒に変える方針であることが１１日、わかった。中東情勢の緊迫化で原料となるナフサ不足から溶剤や樹脂の品薄が続いており、印刷インクの調達が不安定になっているためで
yomiuri.co.jp
Karen K. Ho@karenho.bsky.social · 3mo agoIf anyone would like a distraction, I am here to recommend several kinds of Asian snacks, such as: -jackfruit chips -lychee jellies -Fruittips -shrimp chips -Calbee Grill-a-Corn -egg rolls -egg tarts -tofu crisps -almond crush Pocky -pork floss -shredded squid
🎁 The @sfchronicle.com details how it got the Swalwel story, how it worked to get the accuser to come forward, how it raced CNN... Really interesting account of how journalism actually works. Gift link: 🎁 www.sfchronicle.com/politics/art...
‘Keep digging’: What happened in the days leading up to the Chronicle’s Eric Swalwell story
The woman who answered a reporter’s call last month was hesitant, at first. She withheld the painful account she would later reveal. The next morning, she asked to keep talking.
sfchronicle.com
Key time to NOT be outside in the Bay Area this weekend: Saturday mid/late afternoon. A potent cold front is forecast to sweep through with widespread rainfall rates of a half-inch per hour. Erratic wind gusts >40 mph possible, and even a chance of coastal waterspouts and tornadoes. #CAwx
MTC @mtcbata.bsky.social (the SF Bay Area regional transportation body) released their draft report on financial efficiencies done by @bart.gov, AC Transit, @sfmta.com, and @caltrain.com. The report will be discussed at a meeting on Friday, April 17. mtc.ca.gov/news/financi...
Financial Efficiency Review Independent Oversight Committee Receives Draft Report
mtc.ca.gov
Chart of San Francisco Muni average weekday ridership by route (each transfer counts as one trip) - 49 Mission/Van Nesshas the highest single route ridership at 35,000 - However, after combining local and rapid, two corridors have higher: 38/38R Geary and 14/14R Mission with 45,000 weekday riders
Fair to say that the Western U.S. heatwave has reached record-shattering status, with dozens of locations breaking all-time March monthly heat records & some now approaching *April* records. Swath of record heat extends clear from Pacific to Great Plains, & from Canada to Mexico.
Well, the ridiculous mid-March heat has officially arrived in the Western U.S., with quite a few locations in California already reaching/breaking all-time monthly records today. Believe it or not, the heat will further intensify and become even more widespread later this week.
I took transit to buy a monitor arm off Marketplace after work. Here are some things I saw on the way there and back.
Mannnnn it’s never this warm at night in SF and it’s FEBRUARY
Partisan registration of athletes by sports league (source @votehub.com) votehub.com/2026/01/20/t...
