California’s New Software Sales Tax: What Organizations Should Know Before January 1, 2027
** California organizations that depend on cloud software, online subscriptions, and digital business platforms should begin reviewing their technology spending before the end of 2026. On June 29, 2026, Governor Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 122, part of the 2026-27 budget trailer package, into law as Chapter 23 of the Statutes of 2026. The legislation […]
McFadden-Finch Holdings Brief: September 9 through September 15, 2026
Wednesday, September 9 through Tuesday, September 15, 2026 The Bay Area enters this coverage period with a clear split-screen economy. San Francisco is recording substantial technology and media leasing commitments, while Oakland continues to face elevated office vacancy even as industrial, robotics, and physical AI activity attracts new attention. Hospitality openings and closures show both […]
This Week in the Bay
September 8 through September 13, 2026 San Francisco and Oakland have a full week of free music, cultural festivals, farmers markets, and neighborhood gatherings. The lineup moves from a lunchtime concert in Civic Center to a Sunday market along the Oakland waterfront. Each event offers a chance to support local artists, vendors, restaurants, farmers, and […]
When Reform and Redevelopment Converge: Homelessness Contracts, Data Centers, and San Francisco’s Coming Decisions
** San Francisco is renegotiating several major systems at the same time. The city is re-procuring roughly $500 million in homelessness contracts, closing and relocating service sites, considering data-center flexibility within a major waterfront redevelopment, and preparing for the November 3, 2026 election, which includes charter measures affecting executive authority and city contracting. These developments […]
McFadden-Finch Holdings Brief: September 2 through September 8, 2026
Wednesday, September 2 through Tuesday, September 8, 2026, begins with a Bay Area economy shaped by AI investment, infrastructure modernization, selective office recovery, and continued pressure on communities to participate in the gains of growth. Oakland remains a critical point of connection between housing policy, workforce development, small-business opportunity, and civic trust. San Francisco’s office […]
Oakland’s Physical AI Moment: Why Prometheus and Tesla Are Looking West
Oakland has spent decades being described through a familiar set of narratives: dangerous, struggling, underinvested, or perpetually waiting for a comeback. Recent reporting on West Oakland leasing activity presents a more complicated and consequential picture. Project Prometheus, the physical artificial intelligence company associated with Jeff Bezos, reportedly leased approximately 100,000 square feet at the American […]
This Week in the Bay
By MFHC Staff Coverage for this roundup runs from Tuesday, September 1 through Monday, September 7, 2026. We selected three events in San Francisco and three in Oakland, with a mix of street festivals, outdoor film, performance, visual art, and a farmers market. Most options are free or low-cost, but tickets, schedules, and venue policies […]
Rising Healthcare Costs Are Becoming a Strategic Workforce Issue for Employers
Employer healthcare costs are entering another period of significant pressure. According to Aon’s August 2026 published analysis, U.S. employer healthcare costs are projected to rise 9.5% in 2027. That is a projection, not a fixed outcome for every organization, but it signals why benefits planning can no longer sit entirely within annual human resources administration. […]
The AI Dilemma: Build, Buy, or Partner?
Organizations across the Bay Area are moving past casual experimentation with artificial intelligence and into more serious questions about operating models, governance, and long-term value. The core challenge is not simply whether to adopt AI. It is how to make disciplined choices about what to build internally, what to purchase from the market, and where […]
The AI Dilemma: How Leaders Should Decide What to Build, Buy, or Partner On
Many organizations have already given employees access to generative AI tools, launched isolated pilots, and begun experimenting with agentic systems. Yet experimentation is not the same as operational value. The harder question is how to redesign work so that AI improves measurable outcomes while preserving accountability, security, and trust. Based on the analysis by Ankit […]