How SF Government Works

A civics class delivering expertise on the San Francisco city government.

Class is now in session! To hear about future cohorts of How SF Government Works, join the interest list below.

What You Will Learn

When you leave this class, you will know How SF Government Works. That means you will be able to:

• Explain the building blocks of government—Mayor, Supervisor, Commissioner, Department Head, and more. You’ll know who they are, what powers they have, and what they can (and can’t) do.

• Draw a map of the San Francisco political system.

• Understand what law is and how to make it in SF. As part of class, you’ll go to City Hall and watch the law being made!

• Independently research answers to your questions about government. You’ll be comfortable finding and using public information and the best available tools.

• Draw a basic timeline of SF political history.

• Assess ballot measures, trace how they got to the ballot, and why they were put there. You will no longer vote on things you don’t understand.

• Understand political capital, how to get it, and how to use it. You will leave with more than you started with and you will know how to begin practicing permissionless politics.

• List all district supervisors from memory.

Logistics

When: Tuesdays, 6:00-8:00pm, starting April 15 and ending May 27

Where: in person, in the Financial District

Tuition: $650 - Money is not a barrier to entry, you can take a discount if needed

Homework, Witnessing Government, and Final Exam

Weekly homework includes readings to prepare for class and writings to apply what you learned. The posts you produce will jumpstart the process of generating political capital! Plan on 1-2 hours of work.

One of the best ways to learn how government works is to watch it in action! You’ll attend two public meetings—a Board of Supervisors meeting and a commission meeting of your choice—then debrief on what you saw afterward.

The final exam is taken during the last class. You must score 90% or better to pass, and you can retake the exam once if needed. The course concludes with a graduation reception at an alumni event, and that’s when the real fun begins. Finishing the class is just the start!

Syllabus

Political Theory

• Framework for thinking about government

• Framework for thinking about law

• CivLab political philosophy: how to have fun and make things happen

Political Practice

• SF Government

  • Charter, Municipal Codes, Executive Directives, and more!

  • Elected officials: Mayor, Board of Supervisors, District Attorney, and more!

  • Commissions, Boards, Departments, and more!

  • Legislative process and ballot measures

  • Citizens’ Advisory Committees and other forms of citizen involvement

  • Budget and appropriations

• Case study: policy → implementation

• SF Government: special topics

  • Education

  • Land Use and Housing

  • Public safety

• SF City vs SF County

• What happens when SF gets sued

• SF relationship to regional, state, and federal level

History

• Gold Rush era

  • SF incorporation

  • Corruption and consolidation

• Reconstruction after the earthquake of 1906

• The Greater San Francisco movement

  • Relationship and rivalry with other Bay Area cities

• The Progressive Era and the beginning of city planning

• WWII and urban redevelopment

• 1970s: Political upheaval and aftermath

• 1996: A new city charter

Expectations and Etiquette

We’re here to learn about government and have a good time doing it. Our focus is on what government is, not what it ought to be. Government is a complex system and we will treat it as such. Our exploration will be serious, optimistic, and rigorous. To create this environment, we must commit to the following:

1. No bullshitting; be concrete. Vibes do not build civilizations and they will not help us understand our government. We aim to make contact with reality.

2. “Politics” is a good word. “Government” is a good word. We are studying the mechanisms of self-government; perhaps the most marvelous and important system ever devised by humans. Politics and government are the foundations of this system and they can be powerful forces for good.

3. Find the good time. Do not try to have a bad time. Do not confuse taking an issue seriously with being mad or miserable about it. It’s natural to get mad sometimes but it is not an acceptable default state. Remember that doing citizenship is cool and fun if you do it right.

4. Disagree admirably. We are not here to debate, but disagreements occur often in politics. Should you find yourself in this situation, be rigorous and fair. Always assume and proceed in good faith. Treat your classmate as a partner and your disagreement as a joint inquiry into the system of government.