Daly City · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Daly City public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
Pickleball court shortage at Gellert Park
Pickleball is booming — up to 35 players crowd Gellert Park's two dedicated courts while tennis players and pickleballers clash over shared courts with no posted rules. The Commission directed staff to pilot updated rules and signage and will gather community input November 24; a full $295,000 Westlake court resurfacing remains unfunded.
$4.5 million Proposition 64 grant
The city was set to accept $4.5 million from the state Board of State and Community Corrections for public health and safety programs.
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.
John Daly/Skyline pedestrian connection completed
The city is moving forward with a new pedestrian path near Thornton State Beach after getting a bargain bid that came in 45% below expectations. Bay Area Lightworks will complete the work for $612,955.
Evergreen/Winchester/Templeton Sewer Replacement
A construction contract for storm drain pipe repairs was on the agenda — infrastructure work aimed at preventing flooding and drainage failures.
HUD Action Plan amendment shifting $500K to housing rehab
Daly City will distribute about $1.5 million in federal CDBG and HOME money — down 3–8% from last year — to housing rehab, public services, small business support, and the early learning center.
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.
Safe Routes to School project contract amendment
The city is redesigning pedestrian and bike safety improvements near three schools, but the proposed amendment would drop the lane reduction after residents worried about traffic congestion. The council tabled it until September for more community input.
Commercial Cannabis Equity Regulations
The city is changing one word in its cannabis equity rules — from requiring applicants to meet ALL eligibility criteria to meeting ANY — to match state guidance and widen access for those affected by past cannabis enforcement.
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.
City Hall Roof Replacement
City Hall's nearly 30-year-old roof is leaking — including over sensitive police electronics — so the council approved an $871,000 replacement contract with a 30-year warranty. Part of the cost comes from delaying the City Hall parking lot expansion to next fiscal year.
Small Business Engagement Day and commission vacancy
The third annual engagement day, now set for Thursday, November 12, invites all 7,000+ registered businesses to raise concerns directly with commissioners — last year it helped save nearly a dozen tenants from eviction. The five-member commission also has one vacancy the City Council will fill, requiring a licensed Daly City business owner.
Callan Boulevard Water Main Replacement
The old water main above Serramonte has leaked repeatedly and sits in hard-to-reach hillside terrain with tree roots threatening it. The $1.35 million replacement adds 2,170 feet of new 12-inch pipe and improves water reliability and fire flows for big chunks of the city.
Affordable housing local preference
The council moved forward on giving preference in affordable units to households that live or work in Daly City, responding to population decline and residents being priced out to Tracy and Stockton.
Zoning Ordinance Updates (Ordinance No. 1494)
A bundle of code fixes: clearer building-height measurement, longer permit lifespans, fewer permits for condos, and stricter front-yard paving rules. It makes it easier and faster for projects — from ADUs to condo buildings — to actually get built in Daly City.
Inclusionary Housing Ordinance (No. 1493)
Ordinance No. 1493 would amend the city's inclusionary housing rules in Chapter 17.47 — the requirements that tie new development to affordable housing. This affects what gets built, how much affordable housing is produced, and ultimately housing costs in Daly City.
Mission Street Corridor Improvement District Strategy
The city is pivoting from a property-based district to a BID where Mission Street businesses would assess themselves to pay for cleanups, events, marketing, and beautification. A council vote could happen by December, and a business-led board would decide how funds are spent.
Status of Women in Daly City Report
Draft data shows Daly City households earn about 78 cents on the county's median dollar, with lower educational attainment, and a population that is nearly 50% foreign-born with 59% speaking a non-English language at home. Commissioners want to understand and address these gaps through policy recommendations.
Westlake Park Public-Private Partnership with The Olympic Club
Speakers slammed a proposed deal in which the Olympic Club would spend $10 million on Doelger Senior Center improvements in exchange for guaranteed weekly access — warning it would mean synthetic turf, fencing, and exclusive use of a public park. The council stressed no decision has been made and town halls are scheduled.
ADU Regulation Repeal — Zone Change ZC-04-26-17042
The city wants to scrap its local ADU rules to align with state law, but Sacramento hasn't finished reviewing the changes, so the item was tabled.
Business License Renewals and Tax Deadlines
Every Daly City business owes its license tax by October 1, calculated on prior-year gross income — not net profit. IRS extensions don't help; late filers face accruing penalties. Commissioners are being enlisted to remind businesses in their networks.
Library parcel tax not pursued for November ballot
The board is trying to get a library funding measure onto a ballot, but can't get the key players — the two appointed council members, city staff, and DCPLA's Clayton Koo — in one room. A June 5 meeting fell through, and they admit they'll probably miss the November 2026 election window.
Edgewood Park illegal dumping and deterioration
Neighbors described mattresses, furniture, and appliances dumped at Edgewood Park, cars parked in fire lanes, and a playground slide boarded up for over a year. The mayor pointed to the iHelp reporting tool, the illegal dumping task force, and a $15,000 camera grant program.
Entertainment zones designation
Four entertainment zones were designated where future special events could allow patrons to carry alcoholic drinks in designated public areas — no permanent open-container zones were created.
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.
Lake Merced Boulevard Road Diet Study and Community Feedback
The plan to reconfigure Lake Merced Boulevard and add protected bike lanes is paused after public pushback. Committee members point to the corridor's place on the city's high-injury network and want the city to keep pursuing it.
2026 Federal Tax Law Impacts on Local Business and Real Estate
New federal law makes the 20% business income deduction permanent, boosts equipment write-offs, and adds childcare tax credits for employers. But small contractors should watch the 1099 threshold — it dropped from $60,000 to $600 per client per year.
Utility users tax and streaming services
Daly City will start collecting its existing 5% utility users tax on Netflix, Disney+ and other streaming platforms, which could add $750,000 to $1 million a year to the general fund. It's not a new tax — a court case involving Disney cleared the way, and staff will send compliance notices to providers.
November 3, 2026 municipal election call
The council called Daly City's municipal election for November 3, 2026, consolidated with San Mateo County's statewide general election.
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.
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.
Repeal of outdated ADU/second-unit regulations
State housing officials told Daly City its old second-unit rules — parking requirements and a homeowner registration program — conflict with state ADU law and must go. The city will keep a few neighbor-friendly standards if the state allows them.