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Daily Mail
4 hours ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Friendly and peaceful Bay Area neighborhood where homes cost less than $200k...but there's a big downside
The Bay Area has become one of the most expensive areas to buy a home in recent years. But there is still one neighborhood where it is possible to secure a bargain. Located across the bay from San Francisco, Atchison Village has some of the cheapest homes on the market. The average property in the picturesque locale will set you back around $211,000, less than the cost of a down payment for a home just over the water where a typical residence comes in at a whopping $1.2 million. But there is a catch when it comes to buying in Atchison. You'll almost certainly have to front the entire sum in cash. As one of California 's first housing cooperatives, most banks and lenders won't provide a loan for a home in the Richmond neighborhood first built up during World War II for shipbuilders and their families. Buyers can take a personal loan from the neighborhood credit union, but will have to grapple with a 12 percent interest rate. So for most people, a home in the area is only attainable if they already have equity in a property that they're willing to sell. Still the monthly fees Atchison residents have to pay - which cover insurance, property taxes and some utilities - are usually much lower than the average mortgage payment. However, the 30-acre village isn't without its issues or a cure-all to the housing affordability crisis. Residents report issues with maintenance delays and a rapidly-drying up rainy day fund. This all comes as fewer and fewer people can buy a home in Atchison, exacerbating the growing financial shortfall for the housing co-op. Beyond pricing out would-be buyers, actual residents many of whom are retired and live on fixed incomes are facing rising costs as well. The estimated median household income in the area is just $31,000, according to the US Census Bureau. Atchison, like other neighborhoods in the Bay Area, is also facing skyrocketing insurance rates partly thanks to how wildfire-prone California is. And since one of Atchison's fourplexes burned down in May, many are concerned that premiums will spike even more. The rising values of homes themselves is also causing longtime residents to be hit with increasingly unaffordable property tax bills. Renae Garabedian told the San Francisco Chronicle that she bought a home in 1990 for $30,000. The price for a similar home now is nearly nine times more, meaning she and many others have to pay much more in property tax through their dues. Casey Bastiaans, a Atchison board member, told the Chronicle that her monthly dues have gone from around $400 to $700, while others say they pay around $900. 'Many people have moved out because of that, or are in the process of moving out,' Garabedian said. The village has experienced quite the journey since residents purchased it from the federal government in 1956 for $1.5 million, equivalent to nearly $19 million today. When the US government owned Atchison, homes were only available for white workers. Now, Hispanic residents make up the majority of the community. Despite a change in demographic, Atchison has largely remained the same over the decades because of the strict rules imposed by the co-op. Many of the homes have their original wood flooring and exterior paneling from when they were built in the 1940s. Most of Atchison's 450 homes, usually 500 to 1,000 square feet, share courtyards with neighboring houses, allowing residents to host barbecues or easily have quick chats with one another. Residents say the neighborhood is generally welcoming, pointing to the group that looks out for a neighbor who has dementia. However, not everyone gets along. Tara Ayres, one of the Village's 11 elected board members, said she and her fellow leaders have to balance the budget while also acting as 'camp counselors' when disputes arise. Months ago, several residents petitioned the board to lessen a proposed dues increase, while other neighbors thought it was necessary. The increase was proposed because of a flooded bathtub that caused damage and led to accusations of negligence in a lawsuit between the co-op and a member. The board voted earlier this year to temporarily increase dues by $24 a month to recoup money lost from a jump in insurance costs last year. Bastiaans said the board is considering doing a number of things to simultaneously address the co-ops financial problems and rising dues for members. Options on the table include asking members how much money they have to spare, buying a less expensive fire insurance plan and spreading out dues more evenly between residents. Bastiaans feels Atchison will get past this, but worries that the character of the neighborhood could change as working class families find it harder to afford to live there. 'I think the Village will be here,' she said. 'It'll just be different.'
San Francisco Chronicle
17 hours ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Girls nabbed in SoMa attack that may be part of a series of assaults
Two girls, ages 13 and 14, were arrested and an 11-year-old girl was detained over the weekend in an unprovoked assault in San Francisco's South of Market neighborhood that may be linked to similar attacks in recent weeks, police said. The girls match the description of suspects in at least five attacks that began in July, police said, adding that the other incidents remained under investigation. The girls were arrested Saturday, not long after the attack on Fourth Street near Mission Street. Two victims were injured when several girls attacked them around 3 p.m., police said. A witness told the San Francisco Chronicle that the assault occurred outside HeyTea, a Chinese tea drink shop, when the assailants pulled two victims who appeared to be teen girls to the ground by their hair, then kicked them and punched them. The witness spoke to the Chronicle on the condition they not be named and in accordance with the Chronicle policy on anonymous sources. Witnesses intervened, which caused the assailants to take off, police said, adding that the victims were treated for injuries that were not life-threatening. Aware of the previous attacks, officers at the Real Time Investigation Center immediately accessed surveillance video of the assault and disseminated images of the suspects to patrol officers. Officers in plain clothes located and detained the three suspects at Stonestown Galleria. The two older girls were arrested and cited on suspicion of assault. The 11-year-old girl was admonished in compliance with state law, police said. As per SFPD's policy, officers consulted with probation officers, who urged officers to release the girls to their parents at the scene, police said. 'Violent attacks like these will never be tolerated, and the SFPD will use all resources available to ensure our city is safe,' Interim Police Chief Paul Yep said. 'I am extremely disappointed in the actions of these individuals, and they will be held accountable.' News of the arrests follows a report in the Chronicle about an attack in Rincon Hill where a witness said a group of assailants who appeared to be teens pulled a woman to the ground by her hair. Police said the group shoved the woman, who did not report any injuries. It was unclear Monday if the assault was related to the other attacks in recent weeks. No further details about the other attacks were available.
San Francisco Chronicle
21 hours ago
- Politics
- San Francisco Chronicle
Reports: Palestinian activist previously detained at SFO killed in West Bank
Israeli settlers in the West Bank allegedly killed one of two Palestinians who were deported from San Francisco International Airport in June after they arrived in the U.S. for a speaking tour, according to Bay Area Palestinian activists and news reports. Awdah Hathaleen — who came to the Bay Area in June with his cousin as part of an interfaith speaking tour about the occupation in Palestine — was allegedly shot by Israeli settlers on Monday, executive director of the Arab Resource and Organizing Center Lara Kiswani said. Kiswani said Hathaleen died of his injuries Monday night, Palestine time. The Chronicle could not immediately independently confirm Hathaleen's death, though it was reported by at least one media outlet in Israel. There are disputing accounts of what led to Hathaleen's killing. Jewish Voice for Peace posted on Instagram that Israeli settlers invaded the small village of Umm al-Kheir — where Hathaleen is from — with a bulldozer on Monday. The post said that as Awdah and his family attempted to defend their homes, a settler shot Awdah in the chest. Awdah later died from his injuries after being taken by an Israeli ambulance, the post said. The Times of Israel reported, based on another Israeli publication, that dozens of rioters from Umm al-Kheir were throwing stones at a man 'doing permitted construction on a new neighborhood in Carmel.' The report said Israeli police arrested one Israeli citizen involved in the shooting. Police told the Times that four Palestinians were detained by Israel Defense Forces, as well as two foreign tourists. Awdah was an activist and English teacher. He is survived by his wife and three young children. During the clash Monday, Hathaleen's relative was run over by a bulldozer and was in the hospital, according to the Jewish Voice for Peace post. 'His death was the result of brutal settler violence,' the post said. 'We reject settler violence and expansion, and we recommit ourselves to the courageous, loving resistance that Awda embodied — a spirit that inspired all who had the privilege of knowing him.' The Palestinian West Bank has been under Israeli occupation since the Six-Day War in June 1967 and has since become deeply divided in part due to the construction of more than 100 Israeli settlements, which are widely considered illegal. Tensions have only grown in the past two years after the October 7, 2023, attacks that began the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. Masafer Yatta, the area where Awdah was killed, has frequently featured in news reports and documentaries as an example of tensions in the region. The recent Oscar-winning documentary No Other Land documented the ongoing Israeli occupation, settler violence and demolitions of Palestinian homes in Masafer Yatta. One of the documentary's journalists, Yuval Abraham, claims to have captured a video of the Israeli settler who shot Hathaleen in a post on X. Kiswani told the Chronicle she felt crushed. She said her organization is in contact with family members and others in Palestine to get more details about what happened. 'They have deep ties to folks in the Bay Area, that's why we wanted him to speak out about what's happening in Palestine,' Kiswani said in an interview. Hathaleen and his cousin were scheduled to speak in Alameda, Santa Clara, Oakland and other Bay Area cities, but they never made it out of SFO. U.S. Customs and Border Protection deported the two back to Qatar a day later. CBP said in a statement at the time that 'after an interview by CBP, the individuals failed to establish they were admissible to the U.S. As such, they withdrew their applications for admission and departed the U.S.' Phillip Weintraub, a member of Piedmont's Kehilla Community Synagogue, told the Chronicle he was shocked by the news of Hathaleen's killing. He organized one of the speaking events that Hathaleen was meant to participate in in June. 'I'm just devastated,' he said. 'Still in shock that this has happened.' Weintraub said that on Sunday night, Awdah gave a talk via Zoom about his treatment during his stay at SFO. Weintraub said Awdah told the audience he was treated 'harshly the first day and… much kinder the second day.' Weintraub said the two were initially told they would be banned from coming into the U.S. for five years, but after conversations with immigration officials, they opted to return to Qatar and have their visas revoked. 'Our impression was that the political pressure had some impact on how harshly immigration officials were responding,' Weintraub said. Ko Lyn Cheang contributed to this report.
San Francisco Chronicle
a day ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Details emerge on identity of Delta co-pilot after agents stormed SFO cockpit
The Delta Air Lines co-pilot arrested Saturday night at San Francisco International Airport appears to be former East Bay resident Rustom Bhagwagar, 34, according to records reviewed by the Chronicle. Records show Bhagwagar was arrested at 9:40 p.m. Saturday, the same time the Delta co-pilot was pulled out of the cockpit by Contra Costa County sheriff's deputies and federal agents. Bhagwagar was jailed on suspicion of sexually assaulting a child, records show. Federal Aviation Administration records show Bhagwagaris licensed to fly a 757-300, the type of plane used by Delta for Flight 2809 from Minneapolis to SFO, which landed around 9:35 p.m., police said. The pilot is being held at the West County Detention Facility on $5 million bail, according to booking records reviewed by The Chronicle. Records show Bhagwagar previously lived in San Ramon, Texas and Florida. Court records show Bhagwagar was booked into jail on suspicion of sexual penetration or oral copulation with a child aged 10 or younger. Authorities have not provided additional details about the investigation. A spokesperson for Homeland Security Investigations in San Francisco previously confirmed that the agency assisted local officials in executing the arrest warrant and described it as 'an ongoing local investigation with the Contra Costa County Sheriff's Office.' During Saturday's arrest, at least 10 armed law enforcement officers, including air marshals and HSI agents, boarded the aircraft and entered the cockpit to detain Bhagwagar, according to a passenger in first class who emailed the Chronicle about what they witnessed. 'They stormed the cockpit, cuffed the co-pilot, arrested him, walked him down the aisle, and ushered him off the plane through the cabin doors located between first and coach,' the passenger wrote.
San Francisco Chronicle
2 days ago
- Business
- San Francisco Chronicle
Will Giants be buyers or sellers ahead of this week's trade deadline?
With the trade deadline looming Thursday, front offices around baseball kept an eye on the San Francisco Giants ' series against the Mets this weekend, including a number who sent scouts to Oracle Park. Sure, some teams out of it are focused on New York, which is in first place in the NL East and needs a starting pitcher and bullpen help while also looking at the Giants as likely buyers, in the market for a starter and a right-handed bat. Others, though, are wondering whether the Giants, losers of eight of 10 entering Sunday, might look to sell rather than buy. Executives and scouts who spoke to the Chronicle the past week aren't sure, but the consensus is that president of baseball operations Buster Posey is far more likely to go for it, with the Giants only 2½ games out of a playoff spot, than move any parts. That said, there was extra interest in Robbie Ray 's start against the Mets — any contender with a need would pay a great price for Ray, an All-Star and former Cy Young winner who will be a free agent after the season. Should the Giants flip outright to sellers this week, Tyler Rogers would be attractive to pretty much any club in a playoff spot. Other teams have such specific needs, the Giants conceivably could be sellers even while dealing with another seller. Take Seattle, a frequent trade partner under the previous front office and the team that dealt Ray to the Giants. The Mariners need a third baseman and no, they're not crazy, they're not asking about Matt Chapman, but there is a scenario in which the pitching-rich club could move a starter to San Francisco for a package that included Casey Schmitt. The Giants inquired about Luis Castillo last winter, but it's unlikely a playoff hopeful would deal a starter with an ERA under 4.00 even if they'd like to move salary. Seattle exec Jerry DiPoto is unafraid to pull the lever on just about any trade, though, so never say never. Castillo is signed through 2027 and has a vesting option for 2028. Reliever Ryan Walker is catnip for some playoff hopefuls, but he's under team control through 2029; as with Schmitt, the Giants aren't looking to deal him. To get a top-flight starter, though? Maybe. In a discussion with the Chronicle last week, Posey hinted that the team would listen on top prospects Bryce Eldridge and Carson Whisenhunt, saying, 'I think it's important to listen, I'll leave it at that. I think we have to listen on everything.' It's safe to assume that Eldridge is off limits for only the most major addition, say an All-Star caliber starter under team control beyond this year. Even that's a stretch, whether Rafael Devers is now the first baseman or not. (There are no indications the Twins are shopping Joe Ryan, who is not a free agent until 2028, and no, the Pirates aren't trading Paul Skenes.) One Giants minor-leaguer consistently mentioned by scouts and execs: Bo Davidson, a 23-year-old left-handed outfielder at Double-A Richmond. Davidson is batting .304 with 11 homers, 57 RBIs, 55 runs and 14 steals combined at two levels this season. He's currently ranked as the Giants' fifth-best prospect by MLB Pipeline, fourth best by Baseball America. Several execs noted that Posey already pulled off what is likely to remain the biggest deal of the summer by acquiring Devers from Boston, he just did so early, on June 15. Even if the Giants do nothing else, the first-year exec might have won the trade deadline. Players, coaches and managers love getting help this time of year. It's usually a boost, a sign the front office and ownership believe in the team. With Devers already in the fold, now playing first and starting to hit, do the Giants need to do more to get that kind of vibes bump in the clubhouse? 'Even before that (Devers deal), I've done it long enough to know that you have to be happy with what you have, and if you get some help, then that's great,' Giants manager Bob Melvin said. 'And we got some big-time help before anybody else did, really, so we have enough here to go where we want to.'
