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Vol. 55 • No. 52 • December 25-31, 2025

Tanzil Choudhury, ASE Statewide Chair, UAW Local 4811

UAW members at UC Berkeley rallied against the federal funding cuts in April 2025.

Rick Gerharter

Daniel Lurie waved to the crowd after he was sworn in as San Francisco’s 46th mayor January 8, 2025.

UCSF LGBT health research cuts alarm researchers

Lurie leaves his mark in 1st year by John Ferrannini

by Shreya Mishra

n a late March afternoon, Caitlin Turner sat in the corner of a screen-studded cafe bustling with remote workers and students, sipping her coffee as she worked on her doctoral dissertation due in a few months. An epidemiologist by training, Turner had been researching how better state policies can reduce binge-drinking in LGBTQ adults. A few missed notifications later, Turner checked her phone, which was blinking an update from her colleagues at UC San Francisco. The National Institutes of Health had cut her two-year-long predoctoral fellowship award of $80,632. Turner’s grant was not in line with NIH priorities, the agency wrote in a March 21 termination letter to UCSF’s grant manager. “Research programs based on gender identity are often unscientific, have little identifiable return on investment, and do nothing to enhance the health of many Americans,” the letter read. “Many such studies ignore, rather than seriously examine, biological realities.” Turner’s advisers and lab manager were appalled by the decision and wrote to NIH for further explanations, but for Turner, nothing was left to be done. She drove back home, dropped her backpack, took a deep breath and fell asleep. According to the data shared by the UCSF Office of Research, 97 research grants amounting to $240 million were terminated by the Trump administration in the spring. Most of the terminated grants were related to trans health or DEI, said Dr. Harold Collard, UCSF vice chancellor of research. Turner’s project was one of them. “It’s causing researchers who are very dedicated to their topics to reconsider the viability of a career in that field, and that’s deeply troubling,” Collard said. UCSF responded to the grant cuts by asking schools and administrative units to cut their budgets by 5%, reducing the UCSF Health workforce by 1% and implementing a hiring freeze. In June, a federal judge intervened, saying the NIH’s targeting of research about certain populations was unlawful and ordering many of the terminated grants reinstated. But by then, the damage had been done. Researchers like Turner knew they could no longer count on the federal funding that has been essential to their research. She and others had little choice but to move away from studying health disparities and other LGBTQ issues. “So much in academia is driven by the funding streams, and so much of what we study is driven by what’s fundable,” Turner said.

‘Studying inequities is risky’

The LGBTQ community is more susceptible to a number of health issues such as HIV and AIDS, depression and anxiety, substance use, eating disorders and certain types of cancer. It’s imperative for the medical community to have the ability to address those issues, said Jorge Reyes Salinas, a spokesperson for Equality California, the largest statewide LGBTQ civil See page 9 >>

A kinky Christmas

ohn Fry, center, donned a Santa costume accompanied by his elf, Michael Kinson, left, for the San Francisco Leather & LGBTQ Cultural District’s Kinky Holiday Market that took place at SOMArts December 13. Joining

Gooch

them were attendees Mel DeFort, second from left, and Spring Collins, right. The market offered shoppers a chance to purchase presents for those on their list with a penchant for leather and kink.

mit Sener is used to city workers coming to Gyro King, a family-owned Mediterranean restaurant near San Francisco City Hall. But he’s been seeing more patrons since one city employee in particular stopped by. “People didn’t know we existed before they came,” Sener, who is straight, said, referring to when San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie and an entourage visited during one lunch rush and the mayor promoted the eatery on his Instagram page. “Now they come and say, ‘We saw you.’ We See page 8 >>

Castro elevator readies for its 2026 debut by Matthew S. Bajko

uch of the fencing came down in recent days around the new elevator shaft at the Castro Muni Station that serves as the de facto front door to the famed San Francisco LGBTQ neighborhood. A widened sidewalk running from Castro to Collingwood streets along Market Street is now accessible to pedestrians, while the lift itself is just months away from going into public service. It is expected to soon be installed inside the glass shaft crews constructed to encase it. A period of testing will be needed to be undertaken then sign-off by various inspectors will be required before the elevator is operational for subway users. “We are looking at a construction completion date by the end of January and public use by the end of March,” said San Francisco Public Works architect Eric Fura while giving the Bay Area Reporter a sneak peak of the project site in early December. The see-through elevator tower already provides a stunning marker for the neighborhood, with its LED “Castro” signage aglow at night. It was designed to complement the neon signage for the Castro Theatre across the street, which is readying for its own public debut in February after undergoing a $41 million interior renovation to allow the moviehouse to accommodate live concert crowds. “It looks impressive,” noted Christian Kalinowski, a project manager with the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency who’s been working with Fura on the new elevator installation. The structure is meant to serve as “a lantern” when lit up at night, said Fura. While the roof and sides are translucent, there are design elements to ensure the light doesn’t spill into the surrounding residential units. “It is all contained,” Fura said of the lighting.

Rick Gerharter

Eric Fura, left, associate architect at San Francisco Public Works, pointed as he and Christian Kalinowski, SFMTA project manager, stood at the entry gate level to the new elevator at the Castro Muni Metro station.

First phase of reimagining

The elevator structure built within Harvey Milk Plaza adjacent to the subway stop is the first phase in a planned reimagining for the public parklet named after the late gay supervisor who represented the Castro at City Hall for a mere 11 months before being assassinated the morning of November 27, 1978 along with then-mayor George Moscone. The plaza was posthumously named in honor of Milk, a champion of public transit. As the B.A.R. exclusively reported in June, the renovations to the plaza itself are expected to commence construction next November due to city officials penciling out the cost of the work so most of it is covered by the $25 million allocated to it by a bond voters passed on the November 2024 ballot. Those plans call for constructing a smaller stairway covered by a rose-colored, trans-

parent overhang to funnel passengers in and out of the underground subway station, replacing the wider one there today that undulates downward across most of the space. A new spiral podium feature is to be built by the intersection of Castro and Market streets as a nod to the site’s history as a gathering place for protests and rallies. Historical elements about the LGBTQ neighborhood, Milk, and other civic leaders are also to be incorporated into the redesigned plaza, though some of those features are dependent on raising additional funds to pay for them. Debates on overhauling Milk plaza delayed the start of adding the new elevator, as city leaders pushed back its timeline to allow for the community to discuss a larger reimagining of the area. Fights to get a fourth elevator stop at Market See page 2 >>

<< Community News

2 • Bay Area Repor ter • December 25-31, 2025

Bay Area out leaders assume new roles compiled by Cynthia Laird

ive out political leaders in the Bay Area have assumed new roles ahead of the new year. In Alameda, Ryan LaLonde, a gay man, was sworn in December 9 as president of the Alameda Unified School District Board of Education, marking the first time an LGBTQ person has served in the leadership role. LaLonde was elected to the school board in 2022. He was joined by his husband, Christopher Moody, and their son, Farber, as district Superintendent Pasquale Scuderi administered the oath of office. In a statement, LaLonde noted that 2026 will be his last year on the board as he is not seeking reelection. “For many, the moment represented more than a routine leadership transition – it symbolized a significant turning point for a district with a complex and painful history regarding LGBTQ+ inclusion,” LaLonde noted of the swearing in ceremony. Alameda Unified gained national attention in the early 1990s for its adoption of “Lesson 9,” an early attempt to include LGBTQ people in public school curriculum, he noted. While groundbreaking, the lesson ignited intense backlash and exposed deep-seated homophobia within the community, leaving lasting harm for LGBTQ+ students, families, and educators, according to the statement. “The controversies surrounding Lesson 9 revealed how much fear and exclusion LGBTQ people faced – but they also sparked decades of organizing, advocacy, and policy change that have helped move our schools toward greater safety, dignity, and belonging,” LaLonde stated. He noted that during his tenure on the board, AUSD has strengthened protections for LGBTQ+ students and employees, expanded inclusive policies, and worked to ensure schools better reflect the diversity of the Alameda community. “As I enter my final year on the board, I’m deeply grateful to the many educators, students, families, and advocates who refused to give up on making our schools more just and welcoming. This milestone belongs to all of them,” stated LaLonde. Meanwhile, in El Cerrito, which has a majority LGBTQ City Council that just saw Carolyn Wysinger, a Black les-

Castro elevator

From page 1

Street also factored into the lengthy timeline for the project, first broached in 2016. Three of the stops will be fully accessible to the public when the elevator opens early next year. In addition to the upper most stop fronting Market Street are ones at the Castro Street and subway station concourse levels accessed from within the plaza itself. The Castro level elevator stop opens onto the left side of the plaza walkway as it meanders toward Collingwood Street. The entrance near the entry gates to the subway station is accessed from the right. The lowest level stop that opens onto the subway platform will only be used for emergency purposes, such as evacuating passengers out of the station or allowing emergency respond-

Courtesy Ryan LaLonde

Alameda Unified School District Superintendent Pasquale Scuderi, left, administered the oath of office to new school board president Ryan LaLonde, who was joined by his husband, Christopher Moody and their son, Farber.

bian, end her historic run as ceremonial mayor, gay Councilmember Gabe Quinto was selected by his colleagues to serve as mayor and was sworn in December 16. Lesbian mom Rebecca Saltzman, who was elected in 2024, was chosen as mayor pro tem, setting her up to serve as mayor beginning next December. For Quinto, who is living with HIV, the mayoral post is not new. He has served on the City Council since first being elected in 2014, and is expected to seek reelection next year, according to Livable El Cerrito. In a Facebook message to the Bay Area Reporter, Quinto said this will

Tenderloin Tessie Christmas dinner

Tenderloin Tessie will have its annual Christmas dinner for those in need Thursday, December 25, from 1 to 4 p.m. at First Unitarian Universalist Church, 1187 Franklin Street (at Geary Boulevard) in San Francisco. A news release stated that all are welcome. In addition to the meal, there will be entertainment; free haircuts by LoveCuts, a pop-up barbershop; a free gift bag; and free clothing from Tenderloin Tessie’s partner, the St. Anthony Foundation, according to the release. As in past years, Michael Gagne, president of the Tenderloin Tessie board, stated that volunteers are needed for the event. Shifts are available on Christmas Day from 9 a.m. to noon, noon to 4 p.m., and 3 to 6. Helpers are also needed Wednesday, December 24, from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Saturday, December 27, from 10 a.m. to noon. Both stints are for truck workers to get items from storage and then return them after the dinner, Gagne noted. To volunteer, contact Gagne at (415) 584-3252 (landline, no text), or email tenderlointessie@gmail.com.

From Facebook

Courtesy the subject

El Cerrito City Councilmember Gabe Quinto was selected by his colleagues to be mayor for 2026.

Pinole City Councilmember Devin T. Murphy was selected by his colleagues to be mayor pro tempore for 2026.

ers to bring a gurney down to the platform to treat a person in need. A tunnel was built to connect the elevator to the platform. Gates painted a bright orange to match the color scheme for the Castro subway station will be closed and locked when Muni service ends for the night to block access to the elevator from the concourse level. They will be reopened at the start of subway service in the mornings. When the gates are opened, they will allow access to a new viewing area into the subway station. Replacing metal gates that long had been boarded up with wood panels are new glass windows looking down onto the subway tracks and platforms. A windowsill that doubles as seating will provide train enthusiasts unobstructed views of the subway trains entering and exiting the station. As for the elevator shaft itself, the

current glass panels installed will be replaced because the decorative elements on them didn’t perfectly match up. Vertical stripes designed to prevent birds from crashing into the clear structure that increase in width as they rise toward the top of the structure are meant to do so in a seamless line, so the city requested new panels that do so from the manufacturer. Allowing station agents to have clear sightlines into the elevator was purposefully done as a safety feature. And while the glass installed at bus shelters around the city are frequent targets of vandalism, the elevator shaft glass isn’t so breakable, said Fura. “It is pretty strong glass,” he noted. A gay man who used to live in the nearby Noe Valley neighborhood, Fura told the B.A.R. it has been an “amazing” experience to work on such a prominent project in the Castro with connections to an LGBTQ leader now celebrated worldwide. “I jumped on it when I found out I had an opportunity to work on this project,” said Fura, who also acknowledged it has presented “quite a few challenges” over the years.

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For one, the work on the new elevator needed to take place while the subway remained in operation. While a city project, it also needed to be reviewed by the regional transit agency BART, as it owns the subway station.

Nominations for the list come directly from the community – peers, mentors, fans, and colleagues – who recognize the work and influence of LGBTQ+ women and nonbinary individuals, the release noted. People can make nominations through Saturday, January 10, by completing the form at https://tinyurl. com/3vdra54c. To see past honorees, go to https:// tinyurl.com/3prfh7kw. Curve magazine was founded in 1990. Today, its legacy continues through the Curve Foundation, which champions LGBTQ+ women and nonbinary voices through preserving history and programming like Lesbian Visibility Week. For more information, visit lesbianvisibilityweek.org.

BAAITS seeks volunteers for powwow

The Curve Foundation and Curve magazine are now accepting nominations for the 2026 Curve Power List. The annual list honors LGBTQ+ women and nonbinary individuals who are making a lasting impact in culture, advocacy, and social change across various fields, including media; activism; science, technology, engineering, and math, or STEM; sports; and business, a news release stated.

Bay Area American Indian TwoSpirits is now seeking volunteers for its 15th annual powwow that will be held Saturday, February 14, which is also Valentine’s Day, at the Fort Mason Festival Pavilion in San Francisco. An email from organizers stated that the powwow is expected to attract over 3,000 visitors from across the U.S. Volunteers are needed on the day of the event as well as Friday, February 13, to help set up the venue. BAAITS is a community-based organization that recently received its own nonprofit status. It offers culturally relevant activities for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and intersex Native Americans, their families, and friends. Two-Spirit refers to the commonly shared notion among many Native American tribes that some individuals naturally possessed and manifested both masculine and feminine spiritual qualities. American society commonly identifies Two-Spirit people as gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender, the release stated. The powwow is an intertribal social gathering that will feature singing, drumming, and dancing. Traditional Native American dancers will be present, and vendors will sell food, handmade Native American jewelry, arts and crafts, and other merchandise. A mandatory orientation for volunteers will be held via Zoom Sunday, February 8, from 10 to 11 a.m. To sign up to volunteer, complete the form at https://tinyurl.com/y7yvadfy.t

The elevator structure is cantilevered and had to be designed so it is not physically attached to the subway station, noted Fura. Once work got underway at the below-grade site to build it, rainy weather resulted in delays for the construction. The project, estimated to cost between $15 and $30 million, also saw new vegetation planted in the terraced areas surrounding the elevator and a new irrigation system installed to help with caring for the plantings. Once in service, the elevator will allow for better accessibility to the subway station, noted Kalinowski, a straight ally. Across from Milk plaza is the current station elevator, located on the sidewalk where 17th Street meets Market Street just below Pink Triangle Park. It is smaller in size and can be hard to access for wheelchair users and others with mobility issues. If out of service, then there is no way to enter the station without using stairs or an escalator. “Having a redundant elevator will be super useful, as elevators tend to go down from time to time,” said Kalinowski. The new elevator structure is already winning praise from those in the neighborhood. Castro-based architect and graphic designer Brian Springfield told the B.A.R. it is set to become one of the “nicest elevators” at a Muni station. “I love it. First of all, it really speaks

to the benefit of having a focal point for the plaza. Before that elevator was there, the focal point was the flag, but because it is so high up, it doesn’t work at a pedestrian level,” said Springfield, referring to the gigantic rainbow flag flown from a flagpole situated in Milk plaza and designated a local landmark by the city. Springfield, a gay man who formerly served as executive director of the Friends of Harvey Milk Plaza group, has long been involved in advocating for the remodel of the public parklet situated above the Muni station. With the elevator structure now visible, it is allowing the public a sense of the changes in store for the site, he told the B.A.R. “Seeing the elevator there really speaks to the benefit of improving the ground plane and installing features that define the space. As nice as it looks now, when it has the panels with images and quotes from Milk all over it, it will look fantastic,” said Springfield, referring to the friends group’s plan that calls for digital display panels to be erected around the elevator structure onto which various things can be shown. Those plans can be found at the friends group website at harveymilkplaza.org. As for the new elevator project, more information about it and updates on its opening can be found at https://tinyurl.com/33hch6zz.t

Curve Foundation seeks nominees for ‘Power List’

Law Office of Shelley S. Feinberg

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be his third stint as mayor. “Excited to work with Mayor Pro Tem Rebecca Saltzman,” Quinto wrote. “Proud to be the first LGBTQ majority council in NorCal.” In Pinole, Devin T. Murphy, a gay Black man, was sworn in as ceremonial mayor pro tempore December 16. An elected member of the City Council since 2020, Murphy was the city’s first Black mayor when he previously served in the post in 2023 and is in line to again serve in the role in 2027. “I approach this moment poised, prepared, and deeply committed to continuing to serve our community with focus and integrity,” Murphy

wrote in a Facebook post. “I’m grateful for the trust of my colleagues and the continued support of our residents. I look forward to working alongside the Pinole City Council as we continue moving Pinole forward.” Finally, the regional BART transit agency board elected new leaders December 18. Serving as vice president is Edward Wright, a gay queer man who represents San Francisco’s District 9, setting him up to serve as president in 2027. He was elected in 2024. Straight ally Melissa Hernandez was selected as president for 2026. She is the first Latina to serve on the board and becomes its first Latina leader.

LGBTQ Aging >>

t Openhouse ED grateful for support 3 months in by John Ferrannini

ooking forward to additional affordable housing affirming to LGBTQ seniors is one bright spot for Morey Riordan. Since becoming executive director of Openhouse about three months ago, Riordan has been familiarizing himself with day-to-day duties as well as planning for the future. “I think given the times we’re in, things are going really well,” Riordan, a 63-year-old transgender man, said in a recent interview with the Bay Area Reporter. “I’ve been really impressed with the way the Openhouse community has pulled together in these times and also, the wider community.” Most recently, after the interview was conducted, Openhouse received word that the California Strategic Growth Council awarded nearly $47.6 million toward its project with Mercy Housing that aims to construct 187 units on a prominent triangular lot at the corner of Market Street and Duboce Avenue, as the Bay Area Reporter noted. The project had been rejected twice for such funding in the last two years, but Mercy reapplied for the ninth round of awards and received its highest score as an applicant. Former San Francisco mayor London Breed’s administration paid $12 million in 2020 to acquire the 7,840 square foot lot at 1939 Market Street from the Sheet Metal Workers Local 104 specifically to build LGBTQaffirming senior housing on it. It then chose Mercy and Openhouse to construct it, with the affordable housing developer telling the B.A.R. it expects to open the building to tenants by early 2029. “With this new, truly affordable housing project, we are one step closer

to a world in which LGBTQ+ older adults can remain part of the communities they helped to shape,” Riordan stated in a news release announcing the funding approval. Openhouse provides direct services to the city’s rapidly aging LGBTQ community at its campus on Laguna Street just off Market Street in the city’s Castro neighborhood. Between 55 and 95 Laguna Street Openhouse has its administrative offices and a community center bookended by two buildings of affordable housing affirming to LGBTQ seniors, totaling 119 units. Its administrative campus is named after the late founding B.A.R. publisher Bob Ross. The B.A.R. interviewed Riordan, however, at an office building Openhouse’s executive staff utilizes not too far from Laguna Street. Riordan said that he is regularly going back and forth between the buildings, all in a day’s work. “The organization seems really well regarded and supported, so that’s a strength to come in as a new executive director. I have felt quite fortunate in that way,” he said. Riordan, in particular, singled out gay Board of Supervisors President Rafael Mandelman, who represents the Castro as the District 8 supervisor; gay state Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco); and Mayor Daniel Lurie as having been particularly helpful to him in his new position, which he started in September 16. “The mayor called me to congratulate me on getting the executive director job, which is not a thing I was expecting but was very welcome,” Riordan recalled. Mandelman and Lurie’s office didn’t return requests for comment. Wiener stated, “Openhouse plays an

December 25-31, 2025 • Bay Area Repor ter • 3

John Ferrannini

Openhouse Executive Director Morey Riordan stood in his office.

essential role in our community, supporting LGBTQ seniors, and it’s been an honor to support and partner with this great organization. For far too long, our seniors have been neglected, and we’re finally seeing strong momentum to support them, particularly around their housing needs. Morey is doing a great job for the organization, and I’ve really enjoyed working with him.” Referencing the approved state funding for the new tower of affordable apartments, Wiener noted, “I’m particularly excited that we’re going to see additional LGBTQ-friendly senior housing and that Openhouse and Mercy Housing used a housing law I passed to get this new housing approved.” He was referring to Senate Bill 35, passed in 2017, which streamlines housing construction in counties and cities that fail to meet state-mandated construction requirements, bypassing California Environmental Quality Act reviews.

Openhouse’s Board of Directors Co-Chair Mark Buchanan, who is gay, spoke approvingly of Riordan. Having spent six years on the Openhouse board of directors from 2017 to 2022, Riordan was one of more than 250 candidates vetted for the executive director position. “When we hired Morey Riordan as executive director, we were immediately struck by the depth of his experience and his unwavering commitment to advancing the LGBTQ+ community,” Buchanan stated. “His leadership across Bay Area and national organizations made it clear he was the right person for this moment. In just his first three months, he has moved quickly and thoughtfully, and we are already seeing the impact of his steady, trusted leadership. We could not be more energized by the vision, warmth, and momentum he brings to our team and our community – and he’s just getting started.”

Riordan said he has also spent the last few months becoming familiar with the challenges faced by Openhouse’s 3,700 clients the agency sees on an annual basis. One of these is a worsening affordability crisis, evidenced in the fact that the 306 dwelling units that will be offered at the trio of buildings the service provider will oversee with Mercy is nowhere close to meeting the housing needs of local LGBTQ seniors who for years have voiced concerns about being priced out of their homes and unable to compete in San Francisco’s expensive rental housing market. “I have been struck by the level of poverty so many people we serve are facing,” Riordan said. “So many people we serve are just getting by, trying to stay in the city when it’s so expensive. I’m hearing them say, ‘I came here in the 1970s or 1980s because I didn’t belong where I came from and I want to finish my life here.’” Further, clients are experiencing “verbal, hateful harassment” on account of their LGBTQ identities at a heightened rate, Riordan said. “It’s almost like the ugliness of these times has given permission for that,” Riordan said. Both of these problems combined heighten the urgency of queer elders to stay in San Francisco. Molly Reno, who is lesbian and bisexual, is a member of the Openhouse Leadership Council. “Openhouse was a lifeline when my partner and I moved to the Bay Area 12 years ago,” she stated, adding that she has received services from the agency. “We found community and friends with whom to share the ups and downs of aging,” Reno continued. “Morey’s hiring at this critical time is a huge boost and affirms Openhouse’s commitment to justice, equity, diversity and inclusion.”t

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<< LGBTQ Aging

4 • Bay Area Repor ter • December 25-31, 2025

SF agency faces demand to fund HIV senior services by Matthew S. Bajko

ince 1988, Betsy Ponce has been living with HIV. For much of that time, she has lived in San Francisco’s Excelsior neighborhood, where she is currently raising her granddaughters, one nearly 2 years old and a 4-year-old who has special needs. A volunteer and board member with several nonprofits that work with people living with HIV, such as Healing Waters that arranges whitewater rafting trips and other outdoor adventures, Ponce has few options for herself when it comes to city-funded services. Because she is a cisgender, white heterosexual woman, she doesn’t qualify for most programs targeted to people living with HIV, Ponce noted during a recent interview with the Bay Area Reporter, her first with a news outlet. “I couldn’t wait to turn 50 and get to be part of all these senior groups. But when I got to 50, there was nothing for me there either,” said Ponce, 59, who grew up in Oakland and has two daughters. “I will say, even with seniors, I think there also should be a lot more talk and information about HIV because I just, I feel they think because we are old and seniors that we are not human. We are still human; We are still sexually active.”

With those programs that do exist for women living with HIV, Ponce often faces stipulations against bringing her grandkids with her. It makes it impossible for her to participate because she can’t easily arrange for someone to watch them. “Another thing for seniors not being addressed is the fact we are raising kids,” Ponce said. “You face questions of do you not make your appointments because of transportation, or you’re sick, or this or that. And no, I can’t find a babysitter.” One program she has participated in only runs for six weeks then goes on a three-month hiatus, said Ponce. She would like to see more services offered to women like herself in the city on a more regular basis. “Right now, I don’t want people to go through what I have been going through the last 37 years and that is not having a place in the community,” said Ponce. “That is the golden nugget. I have nowhere to go. Every community, every network has a place except heterosexual white women, at least in San Francisco.” The city’s population of people living with HIV continues to age. According to the most recent HIV epide-

miology report, for 2024, 75% of the 15,400 people living with HIV in San Francisco were aged 50 and up, while 48% were aged 60 and up last year. Of all people diagnosed at age 50 years and older, 39% were 50-54 years old, 28% were 55-59 years old, 19% were 60-64 years old, and 14% were 65 years and older, according to the data. As the report noted, among those aged 50 years and older, 62% were white, 18% were Latine, 11% were Black/ African American, and 5% were Asian/Pacific Islander. The overwhelming majority, at 88%, of seniors living with HIV are men who have sex with men. For gay granddad Homer Hobi, 80, who resides in the city’s Noe Valley neighborhood and has been living with HIV since 1994, his biggest concern is the lack of affordable housing in the city. Although he feels his housing is stable, Hobi told the B.A.R. he has lost many friends due to their moving out of San Francisco after they were evicted from their apartments and found themselves priced out of the housing market. With that comes losing access to the doctors they had long seen and the

Rick Gerharter

Betsy Ponce wants more city-funded programs for women like herself who are living with HIV.

health care programs offered by either city agencies or local nonprofits, noted Hobi. Not being able to maintain the medical care he receives via the city’s health department is his biggest fear were he ever to move outside San Francisco. “Housing subsidies is one thing or another is just the need for more housing,” said Hobi, who has two children of his own and came out of the closet due to being diagnosed with HIV. “The thing is there are all kinds of things that happen when you are older with HIV. If

you are 50-plus, you are at risk of stroke, heart attack, cancer; everything is a much higher risk. And the cornerstone of all of that is housing; if you lose your housing, you are screwed.” Hobi and Ponce are among the seniors living with HIV who will be advocating to see that San Francisco’s Department of Disability and Aging Services, known as DAS for short, sets aside $300,000 in its 2026-2027 budget, as the city’s fiscal year begins July 1, specifically to provide services to seniors living with HIV. “I think the city can be doing a much better job,” said Hobi, in terms of caring for that cohort of older adults. A coalition of activists and HIV groups, including the San Francisco AIDS Foundation and the AIDS Legal Referral Panel, officially made the ask of DAS on National HIV & Aging Awareness Day, observed annually each September 18. They called out the city department for never designating funds specifically for services tailored to people aging with HIV despite the growing need within that community. “Older people living with HIV/ AIDS desperately need dedicated, experienced, and free legal advocates in their corner,” stated Matt Foreman, a gay man who is ALRP’s executive director. “It’s long past time for DAS to recognize the unique needs of this extremely vulnerable community.”

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As far back as 2010 a report on HIV and aging in San Francisco had flagged the lack of local resources for older adults living with HIV. It was a joint project between the city’s HIV Health Services Planning Council, which advises the health department, and the San Francisco Mayor’s Long Term Care Coordinating Council, which makes recommendations to the aging department. Among its many recommendations for how the city and its nonprofit partners could better address the needs of an aging HIV population was to increase the attention and resources allocated toward HIV-positive seniors. “Due to the large numbers of older people living with HIV/AIDS in San Francisco, it is critical that San Francisco shift a substantial amount of its focus to address the needs of this population,” noted the report. In response to the B.A.R.’s questions about the 2026 funding ask by HIV advocates, a spokesperson for DAS confirmed that the agency “does not currently have any services which specifically require an HIV diagnosis as an eligibility criteria.” In general, to be eligible for DAS services, a person either must be age 60 or older or an older adult with a disability, and in need of the particular service. (There may be additional eligibility requirements based on the specific service, the department noted.) “DAS strives to have staff and programs which provide relevant and culturally competent services that is inclusive of all. We partner with community-based organizations for delivery of many of our services in community, and this includes organizations with a rich history of serving people living with HIV,” stated the department, pointing to the various LGBTQ programs it funds and are listed online at https://tinyurl.com/mvfur598. It remains to be seen if DAS will request the $300,000 being asked by the advocates for older adults living with HIV. The city is facing a projected deficit of $936 million in 2026, and Mayor Daniel Lurie recently asked department heads to help find $400 million via cost-cutting measures. In its statement to the B.A.R. the aging department was noncommittal about doing so.t A longer version of this story is on ebar.com.

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<< Open Forum

6 • Bay Area Repor ter • December 25-31, 2025

Volume 55, Number 52 December 25-31, 2025 www.ebar.com

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Lumps of coal for Trump, RFK Jr. No one deserves our lump of coal award more than President Donald Trump and his hideous secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Together, the men have waged an all-out assault on transgender people since Trump returned to the White House in January. Unfortunately for Trump, it’s a symbolic honor and not gold-plated. Trump is, frankly, the most anti-trans president the country has ever seen. And he has gone all in during his second term. His executive orders have barred trans people from serving in the military and prohibited them from using the gender identity with which they align on U.S. passports. In short, the administration wants to erase trans people from existence. They haven’t succeeded, though the fear and frustration they have instilled in the community has only escalated throughout the year. Perhaps none of the executive orders have been as cruel as the one Trump issued January 28, just over a week into his presidency. Titled, “Protecting Children from Chemical and Surgical Mutilation,” its goal is to completely shut down gender-affirming care for trans youth. Over the past 12 months, the goal of Trump and Kennedy has largely been achieved, as hospitals across the country paused or ended gender-affirming care for their patients under 19. Research has shown that genderaffirming care reduces suicidal ideation and attempts in trans individuals, The Trevor Project has reported. Medical care, along with social transition and family support, often provides the best outcomes. On December 18, Kennedy’s Department of Health and Human Services announced the latest horrendous development, a series of proposed regulatory actions to carry out Trump’s executive order directing HHS to end the practice of sexrejecting procedures on children that the agency claimed in a news release expose young people to irreversible harm. “These procedures include pharmaceutical or surgical interventions of specified types that attempt to align a child’s physical appearance or body with an asserted identity different from their sex,” the release noted. The first proposed rule would prohibit Medicaid funding for medically necessary health care, such as puberty blockers and hormone therapy,

for trans youth under 18 and Children’s Hospital Insurance Program funds from covering this care for trans young people under 19. The second proposed rule would bar hospitals that provide this care to trans youth from participating in Medicare and Medicaid. Gay Congressmember Mark Takano (DRiverside) is chair of the Congressional Equality Caucus. In a statement, he noted that at the same time Republicans in Congress have so far refused to extend Affordable Care Act subsidies that expire at the end of the year, the administration is targeting trans youth. “In just a few days, millions of Americans’ health care premiums will skyrocket because of the Republican health care crisis, but the Trump administration’s most pressing priority isn’t to tackle the skyrocketing costs of health care – it’s proposing more rules that rip away the ability of parents to ensure their transgender children get the medical care they need,” Takano stated. “The only people who should be making decisions about a young transgender person’s health are themselves, their parents, and their doctors – not Donald Trump and RFK Jr. These discriminatory, hypocritical, and cruel proposed regulations aim to cut off medically necessary care for transgender children throughout the country – but these proposed rules do not yet have the force of law. I urge health care providers to not pre-comply and instead continue to provide this lifesaving care.” Shannon Minter, a trans man who is vice president of legal at NCLR, pointed out the brutish nature of the proposals. “These rules wage an attack on the lowest income Americans’ ability to access health care and cruelly seek to cut off health care for all transgender youth,” he stated, referring to the fact that Medicaid is a joint federal-state program that helps people with limited income cover their medical costs. The feds issue the rules that states must follow; states run the programs. These proposed rules come at a time when trans youth and their families are rapidly running out of options. For those who are currently in care, the proposed rules are dangerous, as it means treatment would stop once they are adopted. Of course, that is already the case at many hospitals, which earlier this year decided to “obey in

advance” and stopped offering gender-affirming care. In the Bay Area, Stanford Health and Kaiser Permanente paused gender-affirming care, as did Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. Sutter Health initially stated it would pause such care, then apparently reversed course, as we reported last week. It’s unclear if that reversal will hold now that CMS has issued the proposed rules. The California Legislative LGBTQ Caucus called on Americans to see the administration’s move for what it is. “It should be appalling to all Americans that President Trump is willing to risk the health care of millions of Americans in his effort to harm and erase the smallest and most vulnerable groups of young people,” the caucus stated. It’s important to note that both proposed rules have 60-day comment periods that started December 19. “NCLR urges families, advocates, medical professionals, health experts and others to submit comments opposing these dangerous rules,” Minter stated. Comments can be submitted through Regulations.gov or via the Federal Register. Effective comments often include personal examples, quantitative/qualitative data on economic effects, and specific pros/cons, according to advocates. Coming just before the holidays, these proposals demonstrate that the Trump administration will stop at nothing to demonize trans people. But the LGBTQ caucus pointed out California has the law on its side. “To be clear – even if these rules were to go into effect, health care for transgender individuals would remain legal and protected here in California,” it stated. “And rest assured, the California Legislative LGBTQ Caucus will do everything in its power to keep it that way.” We hope so, though a legal showdown is expected. Meanwhile, we think people’s attitudes on trans issues are improving. That was on display in the November off-year elections, in which Democrats ran the table. Americans have tired of the administration’s obsession with transgender people. Most people are concerned about rising costs – the affordability crisis that Trump pretends doesn’t exist. Democratic lawmakers and attorneys general need to keep the pressure on the administration so that trans youth can continue to receive the care that they need.t

Shaping Legacy: The power of public memory by Mattie Loyce

ver the last year as a participant in the San Francisco Art Commission’s Shaping Legacy: San Francisco Monuments and Memorials project, we dove into the significance of legacy at the cross section of art and civic experience. Over the year our artist cohort met regularly exploring, expanding, discussing, and responding to this multi-disciplinary point of enquiry. As a group of artists and cultural workers, we dove into the impact of monuments and memorials, and the responsibility of a city towards its citizens, honoring different histories and truths through their righteous creation. How does a city honor its complex history through monuments and memorials? What histories have been traditionally included or excluded? What artists or communities have been included within the storytelling, and what does that reflect? Existential questions like this allow for a foundation of conversation, and open us to see the depth of investigation needed, and possible. In 2020, we saw a surge of action being taken by the general public, responding to the representation of painful histories paraded within the historic civic monument Civic Art Collection. Community members made collective action calling attention to the challenging histories presented by some of San Francisco’s most elaborate memorials. Although this is not the first time San Franciscans have made remarks or public demonstrations, the domino effect of this contemporary moment summoned the longterm project Shaping Legacy. In his 1962 essay “The Creative Process,” gay writer James Baldwin remarked, “The role of the artist is exactly the same as the role of the lover. If I love you, I have to make you conscious of the things you don’t see.” With Shaping Legacy the SFAC is stewarding artists to review the Civic Art Collection, and create new works and programs mirroring this exact role of the artist Baldwin defines. As artists, we create from a place of passion and expansion, introspection and undeniable love. Some of the written themes within Shaping Leg-

Courtesy SFAC

The Shaping Legacy Artist Circle program, “Black Eyes on Black Art,” hosted by the Tenderloin Museum in August 2025 included, from left, Ramekon O’Arwisters, Cheryl Derricotte, Mattie Loyce, Key Jo Lee, and Marvin K. White.

acy discourse were “Power and Public Memory” and “Evolving The Archive.” Personally, as a curator, an artist, and overall community advocate, both of these themes seep deeply into my mind and easily into critical conversation amid fellow practitioners. When I think of the role of the artist and the responsibility a city has to support them, I recognize who a city supports over time will reflect in the general public memory, which holds immense power. If we recognize and reason with the true power of public memory, it necessitates a consistently evolving public archive, with continuous review of who is included and celebrated within monuments and memorials. It is a complex and significant responsibility to consider in practice. In September 2024 San Francisco commissioned its first monument dedicated to a Black woman, “Portrait of a Phenomenal Woman,” created by a Black woman artist, Lava Thomas, in honor of author and college professor Maya Angelou, who received many honorary doctorates. Since the city’s founding in 1850 and the SFAC founding in 1932, San Francisco has never honored a Black woman with a memorial. In 2011, the city honored the site of Compton’s Cafeteria, famous for the 1966 Compton’s riot, with a memorial plaque honoring it as a historic site of trans and queer liberation in the Tenderloin. The late Harvey Milk, as the first openly gay city su-

pervisor, has statues, plaques, and schools named after him. But I remind us, if the community did not make sure his legacy was memorialized, would the current federal administration be so intent on erasing him from history? It is with this discernment that we need to remember not only our historical figures, but also include artists in telling the stories of communities as well– so neighborhoods, cultures, and the heart of the city is never lost. “An artist’s duty, as far as I’m concerned, is to reflect the times,” said artist and activist Nina Simone, posthumously recognized as bisexual. Simple and true, it is the role of the artist to be a critical mirror of the world, and to help society find new pathways of understanding our experience. When considering the shape of a legacy, and especially that of a city, a culture, a community, or even an artist – the more we spend time in review, the more value we offer it. The more we review the legacy, the more we understand it; who helped build the legacy, whose fingerprints were included and whose were smudged out. The more we take time to understand something, the more we are embodying an action of love. Contemplating the significance of legacy is a proposal that is universally accessible. Everyone on the planet has a right and a reason to consider the legacy of themselves and others. Through our personal and social experience, we all build and leave a legacy, and witness the legacies of each other. Each legacy has a different impact, a unique ripple effect on our world, which is an equally important and unifying factor in our collective humanity. Art offers us an opportunity for critical love and reflection, and holds infinite means to demonstrate the inexplicable pieces of our lived experience. It is the civic duty to tell a full picture of history, and honor how the participants or the color of this picture itself may change in hue over time. It is also our duty as individuals to love ourselves, our city and our history for its whole self or legacy – and keep searching how to do that best, together.t Mattie Loyce, who identifies as queer, is an interdisciplinary artist/curator and community advocate originally from, and currently based in, San Francisco.

Politics >>

December 25-31, 2025 • Bay Area Repor ter • 7

2025 op-art showcases historic SF trans revolt

by Matthew S. Bajko

his year’s installment in the Political Notebook’s annual end-of-year op-art offerings showcases several seminal LGBTQ moments in the history of San Francisco’s Tenderloin neighborhood. Created by local artist Emily Fromm, it pays homage to the 1966 protests by queer and trans patrons of the now defunct Gene Compton’s Cafeteria who were fed up with being harassed by police. It also honors the LGBTQ youth who swept through the neighborhood one evening in June that year with brooms to also protest the harassment they routinely faced from the cops. The action was by Vanguard, considered by some as the first gay liberation organization in the country, as noted by the archival website FoundSF. Both actions came three years prior to the better known Stonewall riots in New York City credited with sparking the modern gay rights movement. They have gained more notoriety of late, particularly amid efforts to landmark the building at Turk and Taylor streets that had housed the late-night diner and this year’s push by trans activists and others to reclaim it from the operator of housing for recently incarcerated individuals that now occupies the site. “My studio used to be in the Tenderloin when I lived in San Francisco, and I still spend a lot of time in the neighborhood,” noted Fromm, who is nonbinary and lives on the San Mateo County coast. “It is a place I like to be and a community I am a part of.” As noted in a profile in the Bay Area Reporter’s 2025 Pride issue, Fromm utilizes photographs of street scenes in composing their paintings and public murals found throughout the Bay Area. In this instance, Fromm drew upon historic images of the Vanguard sweep and took their own photos from screening on a wall at home the 2005 documentary

“Screaming Queens” by transgender scholar and historian Susan Stryker, Ph.D., that had unearthed the Compton’s incident. “I really loved the doc and the story. It struck me as having a lot of relevance and parallels to now,” noted Fromm, who was also inspired by their friend E Dyer’s outdoor mural at the venue for “Compton’s Cafeteria Riot: The Play,” whose set recreates the diner’s interior. “This year, especially, at a time when so many rights were compromised and violated, it was really heartening to retrace the steps of Compton’s and, I guess, highlight a moment where fighting back as individuals worked.” With many forced into sex work since they weren’t hired for other jobs, the trans diner patrons fought back and stood up for themselves after years of being jailed and harassed just for making a living, noted Fromm. And they persisted amid the decades-long push to enact the first laws expressly protecting trans people, added Fromm. “I feel that is a message of hope right now,” said Fromm. “Maybe the official state and government don’t feel like a safe place and aren’t a safe place, but I am feeling some inspiration from this past event of people looking out for one another.” Learn more about Fromm and their art at emilyfromm.com.t Political Notes, the notebook’s online companion column, returns Monday, January 12. Keep abreast of the latest LGBTQ political news by following the Political Notebook on Threads @ https://www.threads.net/@matthewbajko and on Bluesky @ https://bsky. app/profile/politicalnotes.bsky.social. Got a tip on LGBTQ politics? Call Matthew S. Bajko at (415) 829-8836 or email m.bajko@ebar.com.

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<< From the Cover

8 • Bay Area Repor ter • December 25-31, 2025

New structure to street teams

Lurie

From page 1

have new customers. Some businesses come to me and say, ‘How did you do that? We want to do that too.’” Lurie’s visit made such an impression that a picture commemorating it hangs on the restaurant’s wall. “There’s no bad promotion, I feel like,” said Sener, an immigrant from Turkey who’s part of a family that has owned the restaurant for decades. He’s also happy that in the “last four to five months, there’s been a lot of improvement” in street conditions, such as less public drug use and people in mental crises, in the Civic Center Plaza. He expressed that the plaza should be a place that inspires San Franciscans with pride in their city and community. “Last year was bad,” he said. “There’s still people using drugs but less than before, honestly. … There should be more attention to the Civic Center because it represents the government.” Two Muni underground stops down Market Street, in front of the federal immigration courthouse at 100 Montgomery Street, protesters from around the Bay Area, often masked, gather to stand against Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, also often masked, as immigrants – including asylum seekers, despite the fact this is illegal – showing up for their day in court now don’t know if they will leave the building or being detained as part of President Donald Trump’s campaign of mass deportations. Trump dispensed with the bipartisan practice and Department of Homeland Security policy to abstain from arrests at immigration courthouses. From May to October, 75 people were arrested outside the San Francisco immigration courthouse, according to a court filing by immigrants’ rights legal organizations. The high point of Lurie’s 12 months as San Francisco’s mayor had been his involvement in deterring Trump from deploying Customs and Border Patrol agents into San Francisco. But asked their opinion of Lurie, several of the protesters the Bay Area Reporter spoke with outside the courthouse recently weren’t enthused about the mayor’s response to the Trump administration. “I feel he just doesn’t want to talk about it,” Tyler, who did not want to give a last name but who said he was straight, said of the mayor one cold November morning. “He went a really long time without even saying Trump’s name. … I don’t think it’s a priority for him or something he cares that much about, and he has made that clear.” Lurie has made a practice of not saying Trump’s name since taking office. The mayor’s defenders disagree. Gay Board of Supervisors President Rafael Mandelman, who represents the Castro, Diamond Heights, and Noe Valley as District 8 supervisor, has been an ally of Lurie this year, shepherding numerous pieces of legislation supported by the mayor through the board to passage. He noted, “Ultimately, the Lurie approach has been quite successful” at preventing the conflagrations cities such as Los Angeles, Chicago, and Washington, D.C. have seen. “We’ve seen bad things happen locally around immigration, but not on the scale of a number of other American cities,” Mandelman said. “I think that’s to his credit.” While those out on the streets protesting may not be thrilled about him, Lurie said during a roundtable discussion with journalists, including the B.A.R, at City Hall on December 16, “I’m proud of those that peacefully protest. We’re always going to make sure that we protect our community’s right to protest, whatever issue it is, and on immigration policy, absolutely. People should protest, but I ask they do that peacefully.” Even as critics question whether Lurie is turbocharging long-term trends toward embracing tech and other business interests, it’s clear that one year in, his administration is leaving its mark

John Ferrannini

At Gyro King near San Francisco City Hall, owner Umit Sener, right, stands next to a photo that features his relatives Saniye and Mehmet Yilmaz, along with Mayor Daniel Lurie, who stopped in for lunch shortly after taking office.

on San Francisco, and seeking to address long-standing concerns over public safety and regulation.

Voter revolt fueled Lurie’s rise

Lurie was elected the same day Trump won his second term last November. A political novice who once ran a nonprofit and is heir to the Levi Strauss fortune, Lurie’s victory came amid a voter revolt against the status quo in the city, dealing with intertwined housing, mental health, substance abuse, and petty crime crises, and dead-last among North America’s major cities in recovering from the COVID pandemic. It was this crisis that drove Lurie, who at that time was executive director of the nonprofit Tipping Point Community, to run, he has said. Lurie said the last year has brought the city’s disparate departments and agencies together on the same page. “This morning, we had the 20 large agency department heads in a room together,” he said. “We’ve done that now for 42, 43 straight weeks. That is new. There is a level of coordination and collaboration that is really inspiring.” Lurie also said he has taken a personal interest in tackling problems large and small across the city. “I think how you do things is really important,” he said. “I don’t know how to say this without sounding like it’s about me, but I’m walking the streets every single day. I am seeing what is not working, and I call our departments every single morning. They may be tired of me doing it, but I’m not sitting in this building going, ‘Oh, how’s it going out there?’ I’m out there. … I think people see an administration that is out there, that is listening, that is responsive.” Shortly after Lurie was inaugurated January 8, he clarified how voters should judge his success, saying he wanted to improve public safety (“Safety isn’t just a statistic, it’s a feeling you hold when you’re walking down the street.”), bolster small businesses and bring both locals and tourists downtown (“My job is to make you want to be downtown again – for work, with your family, and with your friends.”) and build housing (“We will take bold action to enable more housing at all income levels.”). Mandelman said the board, with its moderate majority that took over in January, was happy to get to work tackling the same priorities. “I don’t think there’s a vast gap on policy between [former mayor London] Breed and Lurie,” Mandelman said. “I think there are style differences, and there’s definitely an improved mood. People are working way better together. That is a real difference.” When asked why, Mandelman said that many of the board members elected in November 2024 were new to the job and to one another. “New people don’t have 10 year’s worth of built-up grudges, and I do think Lurie himself has made a priority of trying to cultivate good relationships with members of the Board of Supervisors, and I think that’s been positive,” he said.

Castro impacts

City officials have surged resources to the Civic Center Plaza and several

blocks of Sixth Street south of Market Street. Then-Police Chief William Scott told the B.A.R. in February that the plan was to provide permanent support from nonprofits like Urban Alchemy once police came into a neighborhood in an attempt to improve street conditions. That displacement rankled folks in the Castro, however, who complained that they were seeing more people facing mental health and drug challenges than they were accustomed to, as they moved from Sixth Street to the Castro. After a series of violent incidents including an Easter Day assault in broad daylight at Castro and Market streets, Lurie and Scott added police resources to the Castro, though complaints persist, according to Mandelman’s office. (Scott announced his departure in May. Earlier this month, Lurie named Derrick Lew as the new police chief.) Asked if city agencies are directing people by City Hall and on Sixth Street to just move, Neighborhood Street Teams Supervisor Mark Mazza, a straight ally, said in a December interview with the B.A.R. that wasn’t the case. “That would be news to me, but what I see happening from my perspective is people do leave areas where they feel they will get attention they don’t want,” Mazza said. “Sometimes, that attention is offers of help, whether that’s help somewhere to live, help medical, help mental health, and sometimes that’s law enforcement.” Nate Bourg, a gay man who is president of the Castro Merchants Association, is liking what he’s seen so far of Lurie’s tenure. “Over Mayor Lurie’s first year in office, I’ve seen real, visible improvements to street conditions and a sincere effort to take on San Francisco’s toughest challenges in a meaningful way,” he said. “I appreciate the humility he’s shown and his clear willingness to listen, learn and improve.” Andrea Aiello, a lesbian who is the executive director of the Castro Community Benefit District, thinks that in the past year, “conditions have measurably improved.” “We now see very few tents or makeshift encampments, and when they do appear, they are typically cleared within 24 hours,” she stated. “The city’s responsiveness to service calls has also strengthened.” But former merchants association president Terry Asten Bennett, a straight ally who is the proprietor of Cliff ’s Variety on Castro Street, said street conditions are only a little better from when Lurie stepped into office. “I feel like the street conditions are marginally better,” she stated. “But the same as in years past, when they clean up one area, it sweeps the problems into the Castro. I can’t say the game of Whack-a-Mole has gotten any better.” In October, San Francisco recorded the smallest number of overdose deaths since monthly tracking started five years ago: 36, one fewer than in October 2024, the prior record-holder. Still, 534 San Franciscans died of drug overdoses, 10 fewer than by the end of October 2024. Meanwhile, the city had been seeing major reductions in crime across the board starting late in Breed’s tenure that have continued this year.

On March 25, Lurie announced a reorganization of nine previously siloed organizations across seven departments – police, fire, sheriff, public works, public health, Homelessness and Supportive Housing, and emergency management – so that neighborhoods will have a unified street outreach team. As part of his job with the Department of Emergency Management, Mazza helps connect unhoused people and those with behavioral health challenges to shelter, housing and other resources. He said that the integrated street teams were based on a pilot in the Castro neighborhood. “This helps us get the right level of help to people in need,” Mazza said. He was unequivocal in saying the current system was an improvement – though he qualified that the work is “taking much longer than any of us want.” Aiello agreed, stating, “Recent streamlining of the city’s street outreach teams has enhanced its capacity to respond to the needs of our most vulnerable residents.” As an example, Mazza cited an incident that’d happened earlier that day – while responding to a 311 report of a person sleeping on the sidewalk in a sleeping bag, Mazza found out the person was on “a very small list of individuals that works with our Department of Public Health team,” and was able to get the person and DPH connected. He said, “If that had happened one year ago, the responding team would have likely been the Urban Alchemy Heart team,” he said, explaining the teams were siloed then and are now more representative across departments, including working more closely with DPH. “Things were more siloed and the communication wasn’t as tight a year ago,” Mazza said. Since April 1, 2,000 people have been placed into shelter, and the average closure time for 311 reports related to homeless concerns has reduced 40%, according to a Department of Emergency Management spokesperson. Asked what challenges the integrated street teams are facing nine months in, Mazza said, “It’s no secret that we’re trying to serve a lot of people with not enough staff.” There are currently five teams up and running, which at this point comprise 15-20 people each, on-theground across five neighborhoods, according to the spokesperson.

Cutting regulations

As for his promise to engage with small businesses, the Lurie administration introduced PermitSF to streamline regulations and make the permitting process more user-friendly. Liz Watty, a straight ally who has been the planning department’s director of current planning since 2020, is leading the initiative. “There were absolutely aspects of the permitting process that were broken,” she said. “The cradle-to-grave experience was broken and needed intervention. It doesn’t mean every single regulation was problematic, but the cumulative that everyone needs to go through was not a customercentric process.”

John Ferrannini

Mark Mazza is the Neighborhood Street Teams supervisor for the San Francisco Department of Emergency Management.

Watty said that since Lurie tasked PermitSF with the goal of improving the user experience, “We are truly trying to think, ‘What is the customer trying to get done?’” Watty said her team has used common citizen complaints as well as data to decide what they recommend be changed. Their thinking was that they shouldn’t take a hacksaw to regulations but that, “If there’s a challenge for 15 different people, there’s probably some truth behind it.” For example, they shifted the permit center’s operating hours to later in the day to meet peak demand of people seeking services. Other reforms had to be passed by the Board of Supervisors. In one case, the permit requirement for placement of tables and chairs and display merchandise on the sidewalk was eliminated, replaced by a simple, free declaration required by businesses. “This was one of the ones that had been brewing for a lot of people for a long time,” she said. “You think, what kinds of businesses are going to want to take advantage of this – they tend to be food and beverage, a lot of the cafes, less so high-end restaurants.” Canela Bistro Bar, a Spanish restaurant in the Castro, had been paying the fees for outdoor tables and chairs since 2011. “We are thrilled that this cost has been lifted for restaurants like ours. It is expensive to run a small restaurant in San Francisco and has been getting more so in recent years,” stated Canela proprietor Mat Schuster, who is gay. “We do not raise menu prices every time our own expenses rise, as we are conscious of how our guests will react. Many times, we absorb the increased expenses. It is nice to have a small relief with these previously mandated San Francisco fees like tables and chairs permit.” Among other PermitSF recommendations, permit requirements and fees on the most common business signs have also been done away with. The number of hearings required for commemorative plaques has been reduced. Legislation that eliminates restrictions on parking in residential driveways has been introduced but not passed yet. This hasn’t all been without controversy, however. Lurie previously had a stake in two funds invested in OpenGov, the software chosen to be a single landing page for permit approvals. The mayor’s office states that Lurie’s assets are in a blind trust and that the investments did not influence the decision to choose OpenGov. Meanwhile, the San Francisco Standard also reported that staff across multiple departments were concerned that housing and economic development czar Ned Segal steered the contract to OpenGov. Mayoral spokesperson Charles Lutvak told the Standard the suggestion Lurie’s portfolio influenced the contract was “absolute nonsense,” and the mayor’s office did not answer over a dozen questions the Standard sent it about the affair. Asked what she thought about the situation, Watty said she is “confident [OpenGov] is the best system, and I can say that without hesitation.” “We ultimately came down to two products, and there were differences between the two products,” she said. “They had different business models and a big consideration was factoring in where I saw our strengths and weaknesses.” Lurie said PermitSF isn’t sacrificing safety for convenience. The city has issued 80% of permits in 30 days or fewer across departments this year, according to the mayor’s office. “Safety still remains. That was not the problem,” he said. “It was about the fact that all these departments have their own process, so we’re trying to unify that.”t This is part one of a series. Future articles will look at efforts to revitalize tourism and downtown, criticism of Lurie, and what’s in store for 2026.

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From the Cover >>

Funding cuts

From page 1

rights organization. Research on health disparities benefits every community, he said. The New York Times reported in May that nearly half of the total grants NIH terminated across the country were related to LGBTQ health. “It sends a chilling message that studying inequities is risky for your career,” Reyes Salinas said. Having come from a working-class family, Turner climbed the ladder one scholarship after another. For her undergraduate program, Turner, who said she identifies as an ally, received financial aid at UC Davis for students from underrepresented backgrounds

December 25-31, 2025 • Bay Area Repor ter • 9

and low-income families. She said she applied as a student “living with disabilities, coming from a low-income/ blue collar family who struggled with alcohol and drug dependence.” Then she received a master’s degree in public health from UC Berkeley. Turner’s family history of alcohol dependence and mental health challenges motivated her to explore why people binge drink. In September 2023, Turner received the NIH grant to fund her research all the way to her dissertation this year. The first funding cycle ended in September 2024. When Turner received the termination notice six months later, she thought her career had ended. She filed an appeal, which the NIH denied in a letter that invited her to submit a

new application that aligns with NIH’s updated priorities. On its website, NIH says it prioritizes research that “goes beyond measuring health disparities to focusing on solution-oriented approaches,” including “evidence-based interventions and treatments that address poor health outcomes.” Turner did not reapply but continued her fight. She added her name to the complainants in a lawsuit against the cuts filed in May by the American Civil Liberties Union along with the American Public Health Association and United Auto Workers. As a result, Turner’s grant was reinstated with many others in July. She started receiving funds again in September, her initial deadline to finish the dissertation. UCSF stepped in to fill the funding gap from March to September,

so Turner’s research wouldn’t lapse. But the funding battle slowed down her work. She is now aiming to graduate in January next year. Facing the delays and uncertainty around the grant, Turner missed the deadlines for several conferences and postdoctoral positions that could have aligned with her research interests. She is hoping to land a postdoctoral position in the next recruitment cycle. Until then, Turner will need to look for odd jobs outside of academia to survive a six-month gap after graduation. Even if she lands a postdoctoral position by summer, Turner may not be able to continue the work she had been doing on LGBTQ health disparities. In August, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the NIH, enabling it to cancel targeted grants.

15, 2026, 9:00 am, Dept. 103, Rm. 103, Superior Court of California, 400 McAllister St., San Francisco, CA 94102.

scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. Notice of Hearing: JANUARY 13, 2026, 9:00 am, Dept. 103N, Rm. 103N, Superior Court of California, 400 McAllister St., San Francisco, CA 94102.

GHIGLIA. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 12/02/2025. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/02/2025.

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO CASE NUMBER CNC-25560303

Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): CARRANZA TRANSPORT, 1951 QUINT ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94124. This business is conducted by an individual. Registrant/Owner(s): FREDYS H. CARRANZA. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on N/A. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/26/2025.

Turner is considering pivoting to a different research focus. “I don’t know that it’s realistic for me to actually continue doing my policy work,” she said. If researchers discontinue such work, it would be a big setback for the LGBT community, Salinas said. Without data and research, it will be difficult for policymakers and health providers to identify and address health disparities in marginalized groups. “This creates a false narrative,” he said, “that disparities no longer exist, when in reality, they’re just no longer being measured.”t This story is part of “The Stakes,” a UC Berkeley Journalism project on executive orders and actions affecting Californians and their communities.

Legals>> ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO CASE NUMBER CNC-25560282

To all interested persons, the Petitioner MARLENE BARRON MARTINEZ & JONATHAN RUIZ HERNANDEZ filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: present name LIAM JOAN RUIZ MARTINEZ to proposed name LIAM JOAN RUIZ BARRON. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. Notice of Hearing: JANUARY 08, 2026, 9:00 am, Dept. 103N, Rm. 103N, Superior Court of California, 400 McAllister St., San Francisco, CA 94102.

DEC 04, 11, 18, 25, 2025

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO CASE NUMBER CNC-25560283

To all interested persons, the Petitioner JOSEPH CHUI & TITPISOT CHUI filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: present name JUN YIK CHUI to proposed name JUN YUT CHUI. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. Notice of Hearing: JANUARY 08, 2026, 9:00 am, Dept. 103N, Rm. 103N, Superior Court of California, 400 McAllister St., San Francisco, CA 94102.

DEC 04, 11, 18, 25, 2025

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO CASE NUMBER CNC-25560292

To all interested persons, the Petitioner HARRISON LOUIS CRENSHAW filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: present name HARRISON LOUIS CRENSHAW AKA HARRISON LOUIS-ANÚ CRENSHAW AKA ANÚ CRENSHAW to proposed name HARRISON LOUIS-ANÚ CRENSHAW. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. Notice of Hearing: JANUARY 13, 2026, 9:00 am, Dept. 103N, Rm. 103N, Superior Court of California, 400 McAllister St., San Francisco, CA 94102.

DEC 04, 11, 18, 25, 2025

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO CASE NUMBER CNC-25560294

To all interested persons, the Petitioner MARIIA SYROMOLOTOVA filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: present name MARIA SYROMOLOTOVA to proposed name MARIA BAYOR. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. Notice of Hearing: JANUARY 15, 2026, 9:00 am, Dept. 103, Rm. 103, Superior Court of California, 400 McAllister St., San Francisco, CA 94102.

DEC 04, 11, 18, 25, 2025

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO CASE NUMBER CNC-25560287

To all interested persons, the Petitioner REINA DELA PAZ ZAVALA ALVAREZ filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: present name REINA DELA PAZ ZAVALA ALVAREZ to proposed name REINA DELA PAZ ORELLANA. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. Notice of Hearing: JANUARY 08, 2026, 9:00 am, Dept. 103N, Rm. 103N, Superior Court of California, 400 McAllister St., San Francisco, CA 94102.

DEC 04, 11, 18, 25, 2025

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO CASE NUMBER CNC-25560296

To all interested persons, the Petitioner DISHON RENE IRVING filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: present name DISHON RENE IRVING to proposed name DISHON ROBERT GETER. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. Notice of Hearing: JANUARY 15, 2026, 9:00 am, Dept. 103, Rm. 103, Superior Court of California, 400 McAllister St., San Francisco, CA 94102.

DEC 04, 11, 18, 25, 2025

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO CASE NUMBER CNC-25560297

To all interested persons, the Petitioner EUGENIO ARTURO CAMPINI filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: present name EUGENIO ARTURO CAMPINI to proposed name EUGENIO ARTURO CAMPINI SILVA. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. Notice of Hearing: JANUARY 15, 2026, 9:00 am, Dept. 103, Rm. 103, Superior Court of California, 400 McAllister St., San Francisco, CA 94102.

DEC 04, 11, 18, 25, 2025

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO CASE NUMBER CNC-25560298

To all interested persons, the Petitioner LILIYA BATTALOVA filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: present name LILIYA BATTALOVA AKA LILIYA MARATOVNA BATTALOVA AKA LILIYA BATTALOVA DUMESNIL to proposed name LILIYA DUMESNIL. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. Notice of Hearing: JANUARY

DEC 04, 11, 18, 25, 2025

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 2025-0407777

Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): CIVIL WORKS ENGINEERING, 525 CORDOVA ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94112. This business is conducted by an individual. Registrant/Owner(s): RICARDO A. GALDAMEZ. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/01/2025. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/10/2025.

DEC 04, 11, 18, 25, 2025

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 2025-0407857

Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): MASON LAW & MEDIATION, 2880 JACKSON ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94115. This business is conducted by an individual. Registrant/Owner(s): ANI VAN DYKE MASON. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 02/01/2025. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/20/2025.

DEC 11, 18, 25, 2025, JAN 01, 2026

To all interested persons, the Petitioner DAVID ANTONIO MARTINEZ filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: present name DAVID ANTONIO MARTINEZ to proposed name DAVIAN AMIR LIRA. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. Notice of Hearing: JANUARY 15, 2026, 9:00 am, Dept. 103N, Rm. 103N, Superior Court of California, 400 McAllister St., San Francisco, CA 94102.

DEC 04, 11, 18, 25, 2025

DEC 11, 18, 25, 2025, JAN 01, 2026

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 2025-0407833

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO CASE NUMBER CNC-25560306

Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): AC WRIGHT PROPERTIES, 1327 19TH AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94122. This business is conducted by an individual. Registrant/Owner(s): AMOS CHRISTOPHER WRIGHT. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 11/17/2025. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/17/2025.

DEC 04, 11, 18, 25, 2025

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 2025-0407913

Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): MOMENTS-N-TYME EVENTS SERVICES AND PARTY PLANNING, 293 SAGAMORE ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94112. This business is conducted by an individual. Registrant/ Owner(s): RAYSHAWN WRIGHT. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 11/26/2025. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/26/2025.

DEC 04, 11, 18, 25, 2025

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 2025-0407916 Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): LEDGER HOUSE PRESS, 2172 PACIFIC AVE #1, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94115. This business is conducted by an individual. Registrant/Owner(s): XIN TONG. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 12/01/2025. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/01/2025.

DEC 04, 11, 18, 25, 2025

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 2025-0407893

Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): CONSTRUCTIVE, 28 GEARY ST STE 650 #2503, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94108. This business is conducted by a corporation. Registrant/Owner(s): INTERWEB, INC. (DE). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on N/A. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/25/2025.

DEC 04, 11, 18, 25, 2025

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 2025-0407839

Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): EARTHWHILE ENDEAVORS; EARTHBATH; EARTHWHILE PET CARE, 231 9TH ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103. This business is conducted by a corporation. Registrant/ Owner(s): EARTHWHILE ENDEAVORS, INC. (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 10/05/1995. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/17/2025.

DEC 04, 11, 18, 25, 2025

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 2025-0407858

Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): PURE SKINZ, 5214 F DIAMOND HEIGHTS BLVD #3120, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94131. This business is conducted by a limited liability company. Registrant/Owner(s): PURE SKINZ AESTHETICS (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 11/21/2025. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/21/2025.

DEC 04, 11, 18, 25, 2025

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 2025-0407844

Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): VY INTERIOR DECORATING, 308 24TH AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94121. This business is conducted by a limited liability company. Registrant/Owner(s): VY INTERIOR DECORATING, LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 11/13/2025. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/18/2025.

DEC 04, 11, 18, 25, 2025

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 2025-0407856

Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): WEST COAST BREAD FEST, 2453 38TH AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94116. This business is conducted by a limited liability company. Registrant/Owner(s): THE EARLY RISE LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 11/12/2025. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/20/2025.

DEC 04, 11, 18, 25, 2025

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 2025-0407919

Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): DATE & DACQUOISE, 4618 3RD ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94124. This business is conducted by a limited liability company. Registrant/Owner(s): DATE & DACQUOISE LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on N/A. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/01/2025.

DEC 04, 11, 18, 25, 2025

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO CASE NUMBER CNC-25560301

To all interested persons, the Petitioner BILLYBRUCE RONALD LAMBERT filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: present name BILLYBRUCE RONALD LAMBERT to proposed name BRUCE ALLEN NELMS and present name BILLYBRUCE RONALD LAMBERT JR. to proposed name ELIAS KORY NELMS. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is

To all interested persons, the Petitioner JOHN DAVID WILKINSON filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: present name JOHN DAVID WILKINSON to proposed name JACOB MICHAEL HUNTER. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. Notice of Hearing: JANUARY 15, 2026, 9:00 am, Dept. 103N, Rm. 103N, Superior Court of California, 400 McAllister St., San Francisco, CA 94102.

DEC 11, 18, 25, 2025, JAN 01, 2026

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO CASE NUMBER CNC-25560295

To all interested persons, the Petitioner DINH ETHAN XUAN TRINH filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: present name DINH ETHAN XUAN TRINH to proposed name ETHAN XUAN TRINH. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. Notice of Hearing: JANUARY 15, 2026, 9:00 am, Dept. 103, Rm. 103, Superior Court of California, 400 McAllister St., San Francisco, CA 94102.

DEC 11, 18, 25, 2025, JAN 01, 2026

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 2025-0407912

DEC 11, 18, 25, 2025, JAN 01, 2026

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 2025-0407940

Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): BLUE BISON BUILDERS, 2156 MARKET ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94114. This business is conducted by an individual. Registrant/Owner(s): LUIS FERNANDO MAIRENA RIVAS. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 11/04/2024. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/03/2025.

DEC 11, 18, 25, 2025, JAN 01, 2026

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 2025-0407885

Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): CLARITY RESEARCH CONSULTING, 3023 FRANKLIN ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94123. This business is conducted by an individual. Registrant/Owner(s): MARIA VEDECHKINA. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 11/14/2025. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/25/2025.

DEC 11, 18, 25, 2025, JAN 01, 2026

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 2025-0407896

Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): MACDONALD LAW, 100 PINE ST #1250, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94111. This business is conducted by an individual. Registrant/Owner(s): DUNCAN MACDONALD. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on N/A. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/25/2025.

DEC 11, 18, 25, 2025, JAN 01, 2026

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 2025-0407948

Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): WINGIS SERVICES, 2199 TURK BLVD #4, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94115. This business is conducted by an individual. Registrant/Owner(s): ASHER ZELINSKY. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 12/05/2025. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/05/2025.

DEC 11, 18, 25, 2025, JAN 01, 2026

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO CASE NUMBER CNC-25560308

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 2025-0407954

To all interested persons, the Petitioner KIMBERLY CELENIA MANCIA DE MARTINEZ filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: present name KIMBERLY CELENIA MANCIA DE MARTINEZ AKA KIMBERLY MANCIA to proposed name KIMBERLY CELENIA MANCIA VASQUEZ. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. Notice of Hearing: JANUARY 20, 2026, 9:00 am, Dept. 103N, Rm. 103N, Superior Court of California, 400 McAllister St., San Francisco, CA 94102.

DEC 11, 18, 25, 2025, JAN 01, 2026

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO CASE NUMBER CNC-25560289 To all interested persons, the Petitioner MICHAL MICHELLE SOFER AKA MIKHAL MICHELLE SOFER filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: present name MICHAL MICHELLE SOFER AKA MIKHAL MICHELLE SOFER to proposed name MIKHAL SOFER WERBOFF. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. Notice of Hearing: JANUARY 13, 2026, 9:00 am, Dept. 103N, Rm. 103N, Superior Court of California, 400 McAllister St., San Francisco, CA 94102.

DEC 11, 18, 25, 2025, JAN 01, 2026

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO CASE NUMBER CNC-25560299 To all interested persons, the Petitioner CYNTHIA RACHEL ASHFORD filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: present name CYNTHIA RACHEL ASHFORD to proposed name LUNADAWN THADWELL. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. Notice of Hearing: JANUARY 13, 2026, 9:00 am, Dept. 103N, Rm. 103N, Superior Court of California, 400 McAllister St., San Francisco, CA 94102.

DEC 11, 18, 25, 2025, JAN 01, 2026

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO CASE NUMBER CNC-25560312

To all interested persons, the Petitioner BRIAN K. CURTIS filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: present name BRIAN K. CURTIS to proposed name MAESTRO BRIAN K. CURTIS. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. Notice of Hearing: JANUARY 20, 2026, 9:00 am, Dept. 103N, Rm. 103N, Superior Court of California, 400 McAllister St., San Francisco, CA 94102.

DEC 11, 18, 25, 2025, JAN 01, 2026

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 2025-0407926

Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): STARTUP SMARTUP; PFL ACADEMY, 2380 CALIFORNIA ST #402, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94115. This business is conducted by an individual. Registrant/Owner(s): JUSTIN

Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): PAWS IN MOTION SF, 1035 DOUGLASS ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94114. This business is conducted by an individual. Registrant/Owner(s): PEDRO VASQUEZ. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 12/05/2025. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/08/2025.

DEC 11, 18, 25, 2025, JAN 01, 2026

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 2025-0407957

Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): ROBOTFITNESS, 201 HARRISON ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94105. This business is conducted by an individual. Registrant/Owner(s): ANITA CHUGANI. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 10/25/2025. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/08/2025.

DEC 11, 18, 25, 2025, JAN 01, 2026

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 2025-0407812

Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): ALL SMOG IN N OUT, 172 HARRIET ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103. This business is conducted by a married couple. Registrant/Owner(s): GULISTAN BORTUCENE & OKTAY BORTUCENE. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 11/12/2025. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/14/2025.

DEC 11, 18, 25, 2025, JAN 01, 2026

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 2025-0407890

Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): EXCEL PLUMBING SUPPLY & SHOWROOM, 659 S VAN NESS AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94110. This business is conducted by a corporation. Registrant/Owner(s): TAMXL CORP (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 09/22/2010. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/25/2025.

DEC 11, 18, 25, 2025, JAN 01, 2026

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 2025-0407956

Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): NO BARRIERS COMMUNITY SERVICES, 447 SUTTER ST #506-1415, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94108. This business is conducted by a corporation. Registrant/Owner(s): NO BARRIERS COMMUNITY HOUSING (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 11/13/2025. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/08/2025.

DEC 11, 18, 25, 2025, JAN 01, 2026

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 2025-0407821

Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): BUS STOP, 1901 UNION ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94123. This business is conducted by a corporation. Registrant/ Owner(s): LRJ VENTURES (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 06/05/2021. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/14/2025.

DEC 11, 18, 25, 2025, JAN 01, 2026

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 2025-0407823

Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): LEFT DOOR, 1905 UNION ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94123. This business is conducted by a corporation. Registrant/ Owner(s): LRJ VENTURES (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 11/22/2023. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/14/2025.

DEC 11, 18, 25, 2025, JAN 01, 2026

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE

2025-0407824

Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): FINAL FINAL, 2990 BAKER ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94123. This business is conducted by a corporation. Registrant/Owner(s): LRJ VENTURES (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 07/04/2024. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/14/2025.

DEC 11, 18, 25, 2025, JAN 01, 2026

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 2025-0407904

Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): BLU ANGELS HEALTHCARE LLC, ONE SANSOME ST #1400, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94104. This business is conducted by a limited liability company. Registrant/Owner(s): BLU ANGELS HEALTHCARE LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 11/25/2025. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/25/2025.

DEC 11, 18, 25, 2025, JAN 01, 2026

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 2025-0407936

Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): LITTLE LITTLE FLORAL PRODUCTION, 707 CAPITOL AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94112. This business is conducted by a limited liability company. Registrant/ Owner(s): LITTLE LITTLE FLORAL PRODUCTION (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 08/24/2023. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/03/2025.

DEC 11, 18, 25, 2025, JAN 01, 2026

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 2025-0407932

Fictitious Business Name(s)/Trade Name (DBA): FOGCUTTER TOURS, 124 BENTON AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94112. This business is conducted by a limited liability company. Registrant/Owner(s): SF ADVENTURE TOURS, LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 04/27/2020. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/03/2025.

DEC 11, 18, 25, 2025, JAN 01, 2026

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF JAIME LACANLALE ALAMARES IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO: CASE NUMBER PES-25-309047

To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both, of JAIME LACANLALE ALAMARES. A Petition for Probate has been filed by MICHELLE OAKLEY in the Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco. The Petition for Probate requests that MICHELLE OAKLEY be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent. The petition requests authority to administer the estate under the Independent Administration of Estates Act. (This authority will allow the personal representative to take many actions without obtaining court approval. Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consented to the proposed action.) The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person files an objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority. A hearing on the petition will be held in this court as follows: JANUARY 12, 2026, 9:00 am, Dept. 204, Rm. 204, Superior Court of California, 400 McAllister St., San Francisco, CA 94102. If you object to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney. If you are a creditor or contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within the later of either (1) four months from the date of first issuance of letters to a general personal representative, as defined by section 58(b) of the California Probate Code, or (2) 60 days from the date of mailing or personal delivery to you of a notice under section 9052 of the California Probate Code. Other California statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor. You may want to consult with an attorney knowledgeable in California law. You may examine the file kept by the court. If you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court a Request for Special Notice (form DE-154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate Code section 1250. A Request for Special Notice form is available from the court clerk. Attorney for petitioner: SRIJANA DHAKHWA (SBN 340899), ARYA LEGAL CALIFORNIA, 900 MISSION AVE #11C, SAN RAFAEL, CA 94901; Ph. (415) 488-5552.

DEC 18, 25, 2025, JAN 01, 2026

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF DORIS JOHANNA MEHLER IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO: CASE NUMBER PES-25-309016

To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both, of DORIS JOHANNA MEHLER. A Petition for Probate has been filed by HOLLY MILLAR in the Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco. The Petition for Probate requests that HOLLY MILLAR be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent. The petition requests the decedent’s will and codicils, if any, be admitted to probate. The will and any codicils are available for examination in the file kept by the court. The petition requests authority to administer the estate under the Independent Administration of Estates Act. (This authority will allow the personal representative to take many actions without obtaining court approval. Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consented to the proposed action.) The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person files an objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority. A hearing on the petition will be held in this court as follows: JANUARY 06, 2025, 9:00 am, Rm. 204, Superior Court of California, 400 McAllister St., San Francisco, CA 94102. If you object to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney. If you are a creditor or contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within the later of either (1) four months from the date of first issuance of letters to a general personal representative, as defined by section 58(b) of the California Probate Code, or (2) 60 days from the date of mailing or personal delivery to you of a notice under section 9052 of the California Probate Code. Other California statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor. You may want to consult with an attorney knowledgeable in California law. You may examine the file kept by the court. If you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court a Request for Special Notice (form DE-154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate Code section 1250. A Request for Special Notice form is available from the court clerk. Petitioner: HOLLY MILLAR, 1740 BROADWAY #701, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94109; Ph. (415) 747-7296.

DEC 18, 25, 2025, DEC 31, 2026

SUMMONS IN A CIVIL ACTION IN THE

<< Classifieds

10 • Bay Area Repor ter • December 25-31, 2025

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA. SCOTTSDALE INSURANCE COMPANY, AN OHIO CORPORATION, PLAINTIFF(S) V. REPAIRPAL, INC., A DELAWARE CORPORATION, AND AUBREY JACKSON SHELTON II, A CALIFORNIA CITIZEN, DEFENDANT(S). CIVIL ACTION NO. 25-CV-05094DMR

To Defendant: AUBREY JACKSON SHELTON II, a California citizen, 2261 Market St #4705, San Francisco, CA 94114. A lawsuit has been filed against you. Within 21 days after the service of this summons on you (not counting the day you received it) - or 60 days if you are the United States or the United States agency, or an officer or employee of the United States described in Fed. R. Civ. P. 12 (a)(2) or (3) - you must serve on the plaintiff an answer to the attached complaint or a motion under Rule 12 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. The answer or motion must be served on the plaintiff or plaintiff’s attorney, whose name and address are: COZEN O’CONNOR, VALERIE D. ROJAS (SBN 180041), VROJAS@COZEN.COM, 601 SOUTH FIGUEROA ST #3700, LOS ANGELES, CA 90017. If you fail to respond, judgment by default will be entered against you for the relief demanded in the complaint. You also must file your answer or motion with the court. Date 06/17/2025, Mark B. Busby, Clerk of the Court.