Local gardening and sustainability efforts are growing rapidly in The City, and residents and city officials would like an easier way to help such efforts take root. But with 84 gardens already in existence and dozens of other potential locations still available, there is no clear way to start such projects without creeping from one city department to another to learn which oversees the site. Read More
In December 2009, during a routine news conference to announce the unveiling of some painted bike lanes, former Mayor Gavin Newsom somehow managed to create a morsel of news out of a ho-hum event.
Frustrated by the lack of progress in his cherished citywide bike-sharing network, Newsom told local reporters that Nathaniel Ford, then the director of the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency, would be looking for a new job if the cycling project wasn’t completed.
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The San Francisco Unified School District is often recognized as a leader in the effort to improve student nutrition. In 2003, it began phasing out sodas and unhealthy snacks. In 2007, it installed salad bars at dozens of schools. Other initiatives have improved the quality of food in vending machines and increased the number of students who eat breakfast.
Click on the photo to the right to see information about meal participation and more photos of school food. Read More
Plaques directing San Franciscans to often-hidden public open spaces downtown will be more visible under new rules adopted Thursday by the Planning Commission.
The guidelines for dozens of privately owned public open spaces — small parks, gardens, plazas and sunny sitting areas, some located atop high-rises — aim to create signs that are of uniform size and design, and are easier to notice and read, under legislation introduced by Board of Supervisors President David Chiu. Read More
People walking around San Francisco’s downtown are likely unaware they are missing out on enjoying a variety of unique public spaces.
But that could change under a proposal being voted on Thursday by the Planning Commission to require uniform and noticeable signage for what are known as privately owned public open spaces, sometimes referred to as POPOS. Read More
A ballot measure to steer more funding toward Coit Tower and limit private events at the landmark received a decisive thumbs-down Wednesday from the board of directors at the San Francisco Planning and Urban Research Association.At its annual meeting, the board voted 21-1 to oppose the measure, which is receiving support from the local Democratic Party and a consortium of neighborhood groups, including the influential Telegraph Hill Dwellers. Read More
The moment Mayor Ed Lee entered this year’s San Francisco mayoral race, he didn’t just become the front-runner — he also stacked the field with an unprecedented fourth major Chinese-American candidate.
For charts detailing information about Chinese-language newspapers in San Francisco, click on the photo to the right. Read More
About 200 people crammed into a room at the San Francisco Planning and Urban Research Association's headquarters today where key organizers of The City's plans for the America's Cup sailing race in 2013 gave an update on the process.Kyri McClellan, executive director of the America's Cup Organizing Committee, and Brad Benson and Jonathan Stern from the Port of San Francisco spoke at a forum held by SPUR about the race. Read More
San Francisco’s black exodus is continuing at breakneck speed, and its Latino population is growing slowly as California’s soars. Meanwhile, Asians now make up fully one-third of The City’s population, gaining steadily on the non-Hispanic white population.
Click on the photo to the right to see more census data. Read More
Think San Francisco doesn’t have enough open space? Wish a park – or parklet – was just steps away from your business or residents? Your dreams may come true after The City’s planning department called for proposals to turn parking spaces into open space.
Last Saturday, many business and residents participated in Park(ing) Day, a worldwide event to promote green spaces in urban areas. Read More
