San Francisco restaurants face a six-month wait and fees across four city agencies just to serve wine legally — while stolen bottles sell openly two blocks away with zero consequences. Richmond's reinstatement of Flock Safety cameras after a 33% vehicle theft spike shows what happens when cities sacrifice public safety for political signaling. Across California, small businesses are caught between maximum regulatory friction for those who follow the rules and minimum accountability for those who don't.
SF makes restaurant owners navigate four agencies and wait six months to serve wine legally. Two blocks away, stolen bottles trade with impunity.
Car thefts jumped 33% after Richmond killed its Flock cameras. The people begging to bring them back were immigrant shopkeepers.
The city disabled its license plate readers to virtue signal national issues. Immigrant shopkeepers are paying the price.
California Forever just brokered the largest construction labor agreement in American history. YIMBY is winning.
The city charges property owners $362+ if graffiti isn't removed in 30 days—while taggers walk free.
San Francisco Centre's last tenants get evicted while the Chronicle pretends shoplifting and drug use had nothing to do with it.