We’ve launched our membership drive for businesses and readers and hope that you will sign on. Already, some of you have questions so we hope this will answer them. If you have more questions, please send them to info@missionlocal.com.

Are you a non-profit?  In the summer of 2018, we became a fiscally-sponsored project of the San Francisco Public Press,(EIN: 27-1275141) a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization.

Why a fiscally sponsored project and not your own non-profit? We may eventually form our own nonprofit, but at this point, our budget is not huge and others in this world advised that we would be better off as a fiscally-sponsored project. We chose the San Francisco Public Press because we like what they do. Yes, they charge a fee, but that means that your donation is going wholly to support journalism.

Why are there different levels? We are thrilled when anyone signs up for the Civic Duty Level at $10 a month or $120 a year. If all of our loyal readers did this, we would be self-sufficient.

We offer other levels because there are some in the community who have the resources to pay more and we wanted to make that opportunity easy.

What if I just want to donate, but am unable or unwilling to commit to any of the membership levels? 

Of course, we’re happy to accept any support in any amount! And if you prefer paying by check, please make it out to San Francisco Public Press and put Mission Local in the memo. You can send checks to 2489 Mission St, Suite 14, San Francisco CA 94110.

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Founder/Executive Editor. I’ve been a Mission resident since 1998 and a professor emeritus at Berkeley’s J-school since 2019 when I retired. I got my start in newspapers at the Albuquerque Tribune in the city where I was born and raised. Like many local news outlets, The Tribune no longer exists. I left daily newspapers after working at The New York Times for the business, foreign and city desks. Lucky for all of us, it is still there.

As an old friend once pointed out, local has long been in my bones. My Master’s Project at Columbia, later published in New York Magazine, was on New York City’s experiment in community boards.

Right now I'm trying to figure out how you make that long-held interest in local news sustainable. The answer continues to elude me.

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15 Comments

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  1. I use to live in the city years ago,and I’m from the mission dist. I like reading about what’s happening in my old stomping grounds.

  2. What Attorney is working on case of eviction with problems against John Stewart Company I would like to show him video of what and how they took care of mold problems I watched it and I cried at how that Company does things and get away with it. Not me I believe in justice and that there not getting away what they did to me now I’ve got cancer I got no help because of them now I got footage of how they don’t get caught makes me cry with anger 831-208-8140 Marta Rodriguez 303 Front St Building A Salinas, California 93901

  3. Hello
    I made a small donation. I will probably continue to do so monthly if I do not get tired of navigating your site. I responded to a story yesterday and today can not find it. Joe was reporting on those who have had to move. I couldn’t even find contact info to inquire.
    Onnyx

  4. Do you guys take volunteers? I would love to help you make it so your links on social media show a preview image and other small things like that.

  5. I’ve searched all over the site and I can’t find any contact info. Please consider putting an email address on the footer of every page. Wanted to give you a tip that the old hardware store on Mission St run by those 90 yr old guys who sold hamburgers out of it during the depression is closing.

  6. I’ll totally pay money and sign up if you find a way to get rid of Sam/John/Whatever his name is. He is so noxious, I’ll pay for a community news portal where actual reasonable and non racist neighbors can talk with each other without getting drowned out!

    1. Hi, thanks for your comment. We are doing our best to keep everyone to two comments and to delete comments that are racist and unhelpful to the discussion. But we welcome your suggestions for better ways to manage the comments. Someone suggested that we ask anyone to pay for a second comment. Other ideas? Someone is also looking into a few add-ons that would allow readers to vote comments up and down.

      1. Thanks! I wish I had more ideas — I will probably sign up shortly anyway as I feel that missionlocal provides really valuable journalism. If anything I’d want some ways to get more of the neighborhood in a forum talking to each other productively. Maybe a subreddit or a reddit style plugin out there somewhere?

        1. Yes that is exactly what we would like comments voted up and down. Finding the right plug in that works with out site has been difficult, but we will somehow get this right. And yes, we agree about public forums and will be planning some. Best and thank you, Lydia