Daly City · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Daly City public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
Calls for accountability from censured Council Member DiGiovanni
Nearly a year after being censured, Councilmember DiGiovanni still hasn't completed required training or apologized, and new staff complaints keep coming in. The council voted 4-1 to formally declare her noncompliant, keeping her committee assignments and privileges suspended. Residents packed chambers on both sides of the issue.
Domestic Violence Awareness speaker series event
The commission is planning a free evening event with survivor speakers, support-organization panels (CORA, Alice, possibly Shalom Bayit), and legal/prevention updates from the DA and police. Open questions include venue, security, trauma-informed design, childcare, and language interpretation.
Council Censure Accountability
During public comment, Recreation Commissioner Fernando Montanes pressed the council to refer the censure of Councilmember DiGiovanni to the District Attorney and Fair Political Practices Commission, arguing six months is too long to wait given the roughly $100,000 spent on investigations.
Lithium-Ion Battery Fire Safety
Fire Chief Nick Gracia warned the council and public that lithium-ion batteries in e-bikes, scooters, phones, and EVs pose a growing fire hazard — including toxic 'thermal runaway' fires — and urged residents to use UL-certified chargers and recycle damaged batteries properly.
Fire chief appointment
Daly City introduced its ninth fire chief, Nicholas Escracia — a hometown product with 25 years on the department, picked from a 30-candidate national search.
Research & Report Subcommittee findings
The Research & Report Subcommittee was scheduled to share initial findings and recommendations from its work.
NOURISH diabetes research study
Stanford Medicine is recruiting 15 Filipino adults with type 2 diabetes for a four-week study of culturally tailored meals tracked by continuous glucose monitors, starting August 31.
Axon Unmanned Aerial Systems agreement for Police Department
The council approved ~$73,000 for indoor drones that let officers visually clear buildings before entering, responding to privacy and ICE data-sharing concerns raised in resident letters.
Real Time Intelligence Center Operator position
A new Police Department position to staff a Real Time Intelligence Center, assigned to salary Range U039 of the miscellaneous/unrepresented schedule.
Parking Fine Increases and Parking Behavior
First comprehensive parking fine hike since 2019 — nearly 10,000 parking calls since January 2024. Fines go up to change behavior, with appeals and payment plans available for low-income residents; the city keeps only part of each citation.
Crossing Guard Funding for School Sites
The city and the Jefferson Elementary School District split the bill for crossing guards at 13 school sites — about $136,000 each for 2026-27.
Automated license plate readers
Police will pilot 99 new Axon license plate reader cameras at no cost, on top of 88 existing cameras that have helped in 400+ cases over two years. The chief confirmed no data is shared with federal agencies or ICE under California's Values Act. The deal saves an estimated $4 million over nine years.
Lien and special assessment on rental property
Landlords who never paid the city's rental business license tax will see it added to their property tax bill — about $161,320 coming in. Notices went out May 13; pay by July 8, 2026 to avoid the lien.
Fire Station 91 ADA Accessibility Improvements
The fire station at 151 Lake Merced Boulevard is getting new ADA curb ramps, sidewalks, an accessible parking stall, and a rebuilt driveway — construction June through October 2026.
City Vacancies, Police Hiring and Retention (AB 2561)
New state law forces cities to publicly report vacancies. Daly City's overall vacancy rate is low (~3%), but police officer openings and three bargaining units exceed 20% total vacancies, and training a new officer takes a year to 18 months.
New Personnel Board member sworn in
Dr. Vennie Acebedo joined the board that oversees fair employment practices, appeals, and grievances for Daly City employees. He said he wants to protect employee rights and ensure merit-based hiring. This matters for anyone who works for the city or interacts with city hiring.
Hit-and-Run Crashes on Dorchester Drive
A resident reported repeated hit-and-run crashes on Dorchester Drive and asked for traffic lights and cameras. The police chief's temporary enforcement worked for only a week, she said.
Unpermitted Fence Blocking Thornton Beach Access
A fence went up on Olympic Way without permits, cutting off historic public and equestrian access to Thornton Beach and coastal trails. The city issued a notice of violation, is coordinating with the Coastal Commission, and plans a multi-agency site inspection — while police investigate threatening signs posted at the site.
Police Shooting
A Black man, Roger Allen, was shot and killed by a Daly City cop. Now, everyone's asking if the police acted right and how this affects trust between officers and the community.
police-ICE cooperation
Daly City police are under fire for potentially breaking state law by working with ICE. This cooperation could lead to legal trouble and backlash from community advocates.