SF supervisor proposes ballot measure fighting food deserts, ‘zombie stores’

A San Francisco supervisor this week announced plans for a November ballot measure that aims to tackle the city’s growing grocery access crisis and bring affordable fresh food back to underserved neighborhoods.

According to the office of Supervisor Bilal Mahmood, over the past 50 years, corporate grocery and pharmacy chains have moved into San Francisco, undercutting local stores and driving them to close. Many of those same chains then departed, deliberately leaving their buildings vacant to block competitors from entering the market.