Location: San Francisco, CA
Website: sfpublicworks.org/pitstop
San Francisco Public Works operates the Pit Stop program, which provides clean and safe public toilets, sinks, used needle receptacles and dog waste stations in San Francisco's most impacted neighborhoods.
The program utilizes both portable toilets, which are trucked to and from the sites daily after overnight servicing at a remote location, and the semi-permanent JCDecaux self-cleaning toilets.
All the Pit Stop facilities are staffed by paid attendants who help ensure that the toilets are well maintained and used for their intended purpose. The program, which began in July 2014, now operates at 11 locations, providing an alternative to using our streets and sidewalks as a toilet. Not only do the people who need a bathroom benefit, but so do the neighborhoods.
Showing posts with label San Francisco. Show all posts
Showing posts with label San Francisco. Show all posts
Saturday, December 3, 2016
Sunday, June 14, 2015
WalkSF
Location: San Francisco, CA
Website: walksf.org
Since 1998, Walk San Francisco has been San Francisco’s only pedestrian advocacy organization. Through smart, targeted advocacy, Walk SF and its members, are improving city streets and neighborhoods and making San Francisco a more livable, walkable city by reclaiming streets as safe, shared public space for everyone to enjoy.
Walk SF is organized into two separate organizations: Walk San Francisco, a 501(c)4, and the Walk San Francisco Foundation, a 501(c)3. The board governs both organizations and ensures that charitable efforts of Walk SF are separate from restricted activities of the Walk SF Foundation.
Mission Statement:
Walk SF makes walking in San Francisco safer for everyone, so that our community is healthier and more livable.
Top Goals:
To make walking safer
To make walking more enjoyable by improving the pedestrian environment.
To make walking the preferred way to get around.
Current Campaigns
Everyone walks at some point in their day, but over the past century, pedestrian safety has become an afterthought in most street design. The result? A built environment in San Francisco which makes walking both unsafe and uninviting. Walk SF partners with city agencies, residents, and nonprofits to undo past decisions and prioritize the redesign of the city’s most dangerous streets - the six percent of streets where more than 60% of pedestrian crashes occur.
To improve San Francisco’s walking environment by eliminating preventable injuries, and addressing inequities for neighborhoods including the Tenderloin, Chinatown, and South of Market – where seniors, children, and underserved community members are at greatest risk -
Walk SF three core campaigns include:
Vision Zero/Pedestrian Safety Safe Routes to Schools Walkability
Past Campaign Wins
Launching the first citywide Walk to Work Day event in 2013.
Making San Francisco the first city in the state to establish safer 15-mph school zones around 181 schools citywide in 2012.
Helping design Green Connections: a new network of quiet, green streets to reach parks.
Securing funds to improve streets for walking, including a $50 million Streets Bond in 2011.
Watch-dogging the police and District Attorney to make sure they enforce laws that keep you safe when you walk.
Helping launch car-free Sunday Streets and advocating for parklets to reclaim streets as shared public space.
Improving safety on the city’s most dangerous streets, including 19th Ave, Masonic, and Cesar Chavez.
Making developers pay the real cost of car traffic and its impacts on pedestrians.
Raising fines on cars blocking sidewalks.
Winning media and decision-maker attention to all these and the perspective of people who walk!
Website: walksf.org
Since 1998, Walk San Francisco has been San Francisco’s only pedestrian advocacy organization. Through smart, targeted advocacy, Walk SF and its members, are improving city streets and neighborhoods and making San Francisco a more livable, walkable city by reclaiming streets as safe, shared public space for everyone to enjoy.
Walk SF is organized into two separate organizations: Walk San Francisco, a 501(c)4, and the Walk San Francisco Foundation, a 501(c)3. The board governs both organizations and ensures that charitable efforts of Walk SF are separate from restricted activities of the Walk SF Foundation.
Mission Statement:
Walk SF makes walking in San Francisco safer for everyone, so that our community is healthier and more livable.
Top Goals:
To make walking safer
To make walking more enjoyable by improving the pedestrian environment.
To make walking the preferred way to get around.
Current Campaigns
Everyone walks at some point in their day, but over the past century, pedestrian safety has become an afterthought in most street design. The result? A built environment in San Francisco which makes walking both unsafe and uninviting. Walk SF partners with city agencies, residents, and nonprofits to undo past decisions and prioritize the redesign of the city’s most dangerous streets - the six percent of streets where more than 60% of pedestrian crashes occur.
To improve San Francisco’s walking environment by eliminating preventable injuries, and addressing inequities for neighborhoods including the Tenderloin, Chinatown, and South of Market – where seniors, children, and underserved community members are at greatest risk -
Walk SF three core campaigns include:
Vision Zero/Pedestrian Safety Safe Routes to Schools Walkability
Past Campaign Wins
Launching the first citywide Walk to Work Day event in 2013.
Making San Francisco the first city in the state to establish safer 15-mph school zones around 181 schools citywide in 2012.
Helping design Green Connections: a new network of quiet, green streets to reach parks.
Securing funds to improve streets for walking, including a $50 million Streets Bond in 2011.
Watch-dogging the police and District Attorney to make sure they enforce laws that keep you safe when you walk.
Helping launch car-free Sunday Streets and advocating for parklets to reclaim streets as shared public space.
Improving safety on the city’s most dangerous streets, including 19th Ave, Masonic, and Cesar Chavez.
Making developers pay the real cost of car traffic and its impacts on pedestrians.
Raising fines on cars blocking sidewalks.
Winning media and decision-maker attention to all these and the perspective of people who walk!
Monday, June 1, 2015
Eight Elements of a Great Neighborhood
Location: San Francisco, CA
Website: http://www.sf-planning.org/index.aspx?page=1704
Over the years, thousands of San Franciscans have told us the things they love about their neighborhoods and the City, from the corner market to the neighborhood park. We have gathered their comments into what we call the eight key elements of a great urban neighborhood. Certainly, there are other more particular day-to-day concerns facing the neighborhood, and they need to be addressed. Before we address these concerns, however, it will be most helpful if we begin first to think broadly about--to imagine--what qualities good urban neighborhoods should have, what a neighborhood might be and should be, and how it can be the best possible neighborhood for those who live in it. We will address most of the day-to-day concerns as we work through what it takes to be a great urban neighborhood. 1. A great neighborhood has everyday stores and services within an easy walk from home. A great neighborhood has stores and shops that satisfy everyday needs within an easy walk from home. Everyday shops and services include corner groceries, day care, cafes and restaurants, banks, dry cleaners, bakeries and the like. An easy walk is about five to ten minutes. 2. A great neighborhood has safe and friendly streets. A great neighborhood has safe and friendly streets. In a great neighborhood people can walk without fear of crime, being threatened by traffic, or being disturbed by excessive noise. People feel like they "belong" on neighborhood streets. Residential streets feel public, and more like open space than trafficways. Streets are a pleasant part of the neighborhood. 3. A great neighborhood has many ways to get around. A great neighborhood has many choices for moving to, from, and within it. Great neighborhoods make it easy to move about on foot, by bicycle, transit, and auto. They accommodate the car, but allow people to live easily without cars. 4. A great neighborhood has a variety of housing types. A great neighborhood has a variety of housing types. A mix of houses, flats and apartments of various sizes to meet different needs and preferences. 5. A great neighborhood has places for people to meet and talk. A great neighborhood has places for people to meet, talk and be neighborly. Public gathering places include parks, plazas, sidewalks, and shops. 6. A great neighborhood has a full range of public services for residents. A great neighborhood has a full range of public services for residents. Public services include parks, schools, police and fire stations, libraries and other amenities. 7. A great neighborhood has its own character. A great neighborhood has its own special character. All neighborhoods are shaped by their physical setting, streets, buildings, open spaces, history, culture and the people who live in them. In great neighborhoods these attributes combine in unique and memorable ways. 8. Great neighborhoods make great cities. Great Neighborhoods Make Great Cities. Great neighborhoods stand out on their own, yet are connected to the City. They can be a refuge for their residents, but also a part of the city's wider community. |
Saturday, May 30, 2015
The Bold Italic
Location: San Francisco, CA
Website: www.thebolditalic.com
The Bold Italic is an online magazine and events hub in San Francisco. We celebrate the free-wheeling spirit of the city.
We are a chorus of voices. The Bold Italic publishes first person stories by locals on issues and topics that are on the brains and lips of San Franciscans.
We are not a news site, we’re a hub for conversations to be heard and discussed. Some of the pieces we publish will make you laugh. Some will have you nodding your head in agreement. And others will completely piss you off. The views expressed here do not necessarily reflect the views of The Bold Italic, but they are the true opinions, experiences, and thoughts of writers from the diverse community we live amongst. Whatever feelings our stories incite, we hope our continuing conversation will get you thinking, talking, and inspire you to share your opinions with us on living in San Francisco. If you’ve got a compelling story or perspective to share, we want to hear it.
We support businesses. The merchants, food carts, coffee shops, galleries, bars, and bookstores we patronize everyday are an undeniable part of how we understand and define our lives, personal spaces, and communities. It’s our mission to commemorate the greatness, beauty, innovation, and heart involved in doing business.
We inspire you to live life out in the city. There are amazing things happening around you. The content,events, and products we offer are designed to invite you to get off the computer and take part in the experiences right outside your door.
We help localize brands. Through our storytelling and bespoke experiences, we create authentic connections that bring brands to life at a personal level.
We know design matters. We understand that beautiful design uplifts. We enhance, provide valuable context, and extend the reach of our content with original illustration, photography, and thoughtful graphic design.
The Bold Italic is owned by Gannett Co. Inc. (NYSE: GCI).
Footnote:
Since our launch, The Bold Italic has strived to faithfully serve San Franciscans near and far, whether born and bred here or having just arrived in the city. We have a great passion for the Bay Area and all that it has to offer — and have had a lot of fun sharing our enthusiasm with you. Together we have built a strong community of followers, contributors, and partners. However, we have made the difficult decision to cease operations. It’s been a great run and we supremely thank everyone who has supported us along the way.
Website: www.thebolditalic.com
The Bold Italic is an online magazine and events hub in San Francisco. We celebrate the free-wheeling spirit of the city.
We are a chorus of voices. The Bold Italic publishes first person stories by locals on issues and topics that are on the brains and lips of San Franciscans.
We are not a news site, we’re a hub for conversations to be heard and discussed. Some of the pieces we publish will make you laugh. Some will have you nodding your head in agreement. And others will completely piss you off. The views expressed here do not necessarily reflect the views of The Bold Italic, but they are the true opinions, experiences, and thoughts of writers from the diverse community we live amongst. Whatever feelings our stories incite, we hope our continuing conversation will get you thinking, talking, and inspire you to share your opinions with us on living in San Francisco. If you’ve got a compelling story or perspective to share, we want to hear it.
We support businesses. The merchants, food carts, coffee shops, galleries, bars, and bookstores we patronize everyday are an undeniable part of how we understand and define our lives, personal spaces, and communities. It’s our mission to commemorate the greatness, beauty, innovation, and heart involved in doing business.
We inspire you to live life out in the city. There are amazing things happening around you. The content,events, and products we offer are designed to invite you to get off the computer and take part in the experiences right outside your door.
We help localize brands. Through our storytelling and bespoke experiences, we create authentic connections that bring brands to life at a personal level.
We know design matters. We understand that beautiful design uplifts. We enhance, provide valuable context, and extend the reach of our content with original illustration, photography, and thoughtful graphic design.
The Bold Italic is owned by Gannett Co. Inc. (NYSE: GCI).
Footnote:
Since our launch, The Bold Italic has strived to faithfully serve San Franciscans near and far, whether born and bred here or having just arrived in the city. We have a great passion for the Bay Area and all that it has to offer — and have had a lot of fun sharing our enthusiasm with you. Together we have built a strong community of followers, contributors, and partners. However, we have made the difficult decision to cease operations. It’s been a great run and we supremely thank everyone who has supported us along the way.
Tuesday, May 20, 2014
Southeast Food Access Working Group
Location: San Francisco, CA
Website:
SEFA is a collaborative of residents, community based organizations, city agencies, and others working on food access and food systems. SEFA’s goal is to leverage similar efforts and encourage partnerships and collaboration in order to achieve a vibrant and robust food system for all in Bayview Hunters Point (BVHP). As such, SEFA has identified three pillars that are integral to a robust food system and which guide our work: Food Access, Awareness/Education, and Urban Agriculture.
SEFA has been particularly focused on bringing healthier food retail and grocery options to the neighborhood. In 2007, SEFA members conducted and released a resident food preferences survey which was instrumental for efforts by the Mayor’s Office of Economic and Workforce Development to recruit a new food retailer, Fresh and Easy to the neighborhood. And, we continue to work with BVHP food retailers to increase their offerings of fresh, affordable and healthy foods.
SEFA and the Food Guardians are key partners in the Bayview HEAL Zone initiative, funded by Kaiser Permanente, to promote healthy eating and active living.
The Southeast Food Access (SEFA) Working Group evolved out of the April 2006 Shape Up San Francisco Summit where community food justice organizations and city agencies identified the need for regular communication among all entities working on food issues in the BVHP. In January 2007, the first SEFA meeting was held and the group has met monthly since to address food systems in the Southeast sector.
Website:
SEFA is a collaborative of residents, community based organizations, city agencies, and others working on food access and food systems. SEFA’s goal is to leverage similar efforts and encourage partnerships and collaboration in order to achieve a vibrant and robust food system for all in Bayview Hunters Point (BVHP). As such, SEFA has identified three pillars that are integral to a robust food system and which guide our work: Food Access, Awareness/Education, and Urban Agriculture.
SEFA has been particularly focused on bringing healthier food retail and grocery options to the neighborhood. In 2007, SEFA members conducted and released a resident food preferences survey which was instrumental for efforts by the Mayor’s Office of Economic and Workforce Development to recruit a new food retailer, Fresh and Easy to the neighborhood. And, we continue to work with BVHP food retailers to increase their offerings of fresh, affordable and healthy foods.
SEFA and the Food Guardians are key partners in the Bayview HEAL Zone initiative, funded by Kaiser Permanente, to promote healthy eating and active living.
The Southeast Food Access (SEFA) Working Group evolved out of the April 2006 Shape Up San Francisco Summit where community food justice organizations and city agencies identified the need for regular communication among all entities working on food issues in the BVHP. In January 2007, the first SEFA meeting was held and the group has met monthly since to address food systems in the Southeast sector.
Wednesday, March 12, 2014
Vanishing SF
Location: San Francisco, CA
Website:
In her recent article in the London Review of Books, Google Invades, Rebecca Solnit writes:
“The Bay Area is once again a boomtown, with transient populations, escalating housing costs, mass displacements and the casual erasure of what was here before. I think of it as frontierism, with all the frontier’s attitude and operational style, where people without a lot of attachments come and do things without a lot of concern for their impact, where money moves around pretty casually, and people are ground underfoot equally casually.
VanishingSF is an index of stories, events and not-so-random facts documenting the impact of this new frontierism on the people, communities, and cultural life of San Francisco. This page is for everyone who loves San Francisco. If you have an item that you would like featured on this page, please tell us about it.
Website:
In her recent article in the London Review of Books, Google Invades, Rebecca Solnit writes:
“The Bay Area is once again a boomtown, with transient populations, escalating housing costs, mass displacements and the casual erasure of what was here before. I think of it as frontierism, with all the frontier’s attitude and operational style, where people without a lot of attachments come and do things without a lot of concern for their impact, where money moves around pretty casually, and people are ground underfoot equally casually.
VanishingSF is an index of stories, events and not-so-random facts documenting the impact of this new frontierism on the people, communities, and cultural life of San Francisco. This page is for everyone who loves San Francisco. If you have an item that you would like featured on this page, please tell us about it.
Tuesday, September 24, 2013
Valencia Corridor Merchants Association
Location: San Francisco, CA
Website: www.keepvalencialocal.com
The VCMA is a member–operated neighborhood association focused on maintaining the great qualities of the Valencia Corridor.
Our mission is to cultivate and beautify the corridor for the benefit of visitors, residents and merchants. Additionally, we endeavor to combine our voices and views toward the goal of maintaining the unique identity and independent spirit of the neighborhood.
Website: www.keepvalencialocal.com
The VCMA is a member–operated neighborhood association focused on maintaining the great qualities of the Valencia Corridor.
Our mission is to cultivate and beautify the corridor for the benefit of visitors, residents and merchants. Additionally, we endeavor to combine our voices and views toward the goal of maintaining the unique identity and independent spirit of the neighborhood.
Thursday, September 12, 2013
PARK(ing) Day
Location: Nationwide
Website: www.parkingday.org
PARK(ing) Day is a annual open-source global event where citizens, artists and activists collaborate to temporarily transform metered parking spaces into “PARK(ing)” temporary public places.
The project began in 2005 when Rebar, a San Francisco art and design studio, converted a single metered parking space into a temporary public park in downtown San Francisco.
Since 2005, PARK(ing) Day has evolved into a global movement, with organizations and individuals (operating independently of Rebar but following an established set of guidelines) creating new forms of temporary public space in urban contexts around the world.
The mission of PARK(ing) Day is to call attention to the need for more urban open space, to generate critical debate around how public space is created and allocated, and to improve the quality of urban human habitat … at least until the meter runs out!
A brief history of PARK(ing) Day -
Rebar’s original PARK(ing) project in 2005 transformed a single metered parking space into a temporary public park in an area of San Francisco that the city had designated as lacking public open space.
The great majority of San Francisco’s downtown outdoor space is dedicated to movement and storage of private vehicles, while only a fraction of that space is allocated to serve a broader range of public needs. Paying the meter of a parking space enables one to lease precious urban real estate on a short-term basis.
The PARK(ing) project was created to explore the the range of possible activities for this short-term lease, and to provoke a critical examination of the values that generate the form of urban public space.
The original PARK(ing) Day installation by Rebar, San Francisco 2005". Our original PARK stood in place for two hours – the term of the lease offered on the face of the parking meter. When the meter expired, we rolled up the sod, packed away the bench and the tree, and gave the block a good sweep, and left. A few weeks later, as a single iconic photo of the intervention (left) traveled across the web, Rebar began receiving requests to create the PARK(ing) project in other cities. Rather than replicate the same installation, we decided to promote the project as an “open-source” project, and created a how-to manual to empower people to create their own parks without the active participation of Rebar. And thus “PARK(ing) Day” was born.
PARK(ing) Day has since been adapted and remixed to address a variety of social issues in diverse urban contexts around the world, and the project continues to expand to include interventions and experiments well beyond the basic “tree-bench-sod” park typology first modeled by Rebar.
In recent years, participants have built free health clinics, planted temporary urban farms, produced ecology demonstrations, held political seminars, built art installations, opened free bike repair shops and even held a wedding ceremony! All this in the context of this most modest urban territory – the metered parking space.
And this is the true power of the open-source model: organizers identify specific community needs and values and use the event to draw attention to issues that are important to their local public—everything from experimentation and play to acts of generosity and kindness, to political issues such as water rights, labor equity, health care and marriage equality.
All of these interventions, irrespective of where they fall on the political spectrum, support the original vision of PARK(ing) Day: to challenge existing notions of public urban space and empower people to help redefine space to suit specific community needs.
In addition to being quite a bit of fun, PARK(ing) Day has effectively re-valued the metered parking space as an important part of the commons – a site for generosity, cultural expression, socializing and play. And although the project is temporary, we hope PARK(ing) Day inspires you to participate in the civic processes that permanently alter the urban landscape.
Website: www.parkingday.org
PARK(ing) Day is a annual open-source global event where citizens, artists and activists collaborate to temporarily transform metered parking spaces into “PARK(ing)” temporary public places.
The project began in 2005 when Rebar, a San Francisco art and design studio, converted a single metered parking space into a temporary public park in downtown San Francisco.
Since 2005, PARK(ing) Day has evolved into a global movement, with organizations and individuals (operating independently of Rebar but following an established set of guidelines) creating new forms of temporary public space in urban contexts around the world.
The mission of PARK(ing) Day is to call attention to the need for more urban open space, to generate critical debate around how public space is created and allocated, and to improve the quality of urban human habitat … at least until the meter runs out!
A brief history of PARK(ing) Day -
Rebar’s original PARK(ing) project in 2005 transformed a single metered parking space into a temporary public park in an area of San Francisco that the city had designated as lacking public open space.
The great majority of San Francisco’s downtown outdoor space is dedicated to movement and storage of private vehicles, while only a fraction of that space is allocated to serve a broader range of public needs. Paying the meter of a parking space enables one to lease precious urban real estate on a short-term basis.
The PARK(ing) project was created to explore the the range of possible activities for this short-term lease, and to provoke a critical examination of the values that generate the form of urban public space.
The original PARK(ing) Day installation by Rebar, San Francisco 2005". Our original PARK stood in place for two hours – the term of the lease offered on the face of the parking meter. When the meter expired, we rolled up the sod, packed away the bench and the tree, and gave the block a good sweep, and left. A few weeks later, as a single iconic photo of the intervention (left) traveled across the web, Rebar began receiving requests to create the PARK(ing) project in other cities. Rather than replicate the same installation, we decided to promote the project as an “open-source” project, and created a how-to manual to empower people to create their own parks without the active participation of Rebar. And thus “PARK(ing) Day” was born.
PARK(ing) Day has since been adapted and remixed to address a variety of social issues in diverse urban contexts around the world, and the project continues to expand to include interventions and experiments well beyond the basic “tree-bench-sod” park typology first modeled by Rebar.
In recent years, participants have built free health clinics, planted temporary urban farms, produced ecology demonstrations, held political seminars, built art installations, opened free bike repair shops and even held a wedding ceremony! All this in the context of this most modest urban territory – the metered parking space.
And this is the true power of the open-source model: organizers identify specific community needs and values and use the event to draw attention to issues that are important to their local public—everything from experimentation and play to acts of generosity and kindness, to political issues such as water rights, labor equity, health care and marriage equality.
All of these interventions, irrespective of where they fall on the political spectrum, support the original vision of PARK(ing) Day: to challenge existing notions of public urban space and empower people to help redefine space to suit specific community needs.
In addition to being quite a bit of fun, PARK(ing) Day has effectively re-valued the metered parking space as an important part of the commons – a site for generosity, cultural expression, socializing and play. And although the project is temporary, we hope PARK(ing) Day inspires you to participate in the civic processes that permanently alter the urban landscape.
Thursday, August 15, 2013
San Francisco Tenants Union
Location: San Francisco, CA
Website: www.sftu.org
Since 1971, the SF Tenants Union has been fighting for the rights of tenants and for the preservation of affordable housing in San Francisco. From the struggle for rent control in the 1970s to 1998's Proposition G (to end the abuses of OMI evictions), the Tenants Union has been the city's leading advocate for tenants. The SFTU is 100% membership supported and this enables our advocacy to be uncompromising and immune to pressures from government or other funders.
For both members and non-members, the SFTU operates a drop in counseling clinic at 558 Capp Street (in the Mission District - cross street is 21st Street (Capp runs parallel to Mission St and is one block east of Mission). Counseling hours are available by calling tel:282-6622.
Counseling is free for SFTU members. Non-members are asked to donate ($20 for people of moderate incomes or above, $10 for people with low incomes) per visit (no one is turned away for lack of funds, however).
Telephone counseling is provided only to SFTU members. Non-members must come to the drop in clinic.<
SFTU members get free counseling for a year, phone counseling access, our comprehensive Tenants Rights Handbook and a subscription to Tenant Times, the city's tenant newspaper.
Website: www.sftu.org
Since 1971, the SF Tenants Union has been fighting for the rights of tenants and for the preservation of affordable housing in San Francisco. From the struggle for rent control in the 1970s to 1998's Proposition G (to end the abuses of OMI evictions), the Tenants Union has been the city's leading advocate for tenants. The SFTU is 100% membership supported and this enables our advocacy to be uncompromising and immune to pressures from government or other funders.
For both members and non-members, the SFTU operates a drop in counseling clinic at 558 Capp Street (in the Mission District - cross street is 21st Street (Capp runs parallel to Mission St and is one block east of Mission). Counseling hours are available by calling tel:282-6622.
Counseling is free for SFTU members. Non-members are asked to donate ($20 for people of moderate incomes or above, $10 for people with low incomes) per visit (no one is turned away for lack of funds, however).
Telephone counseling is provided only to SFTU members. Non-members must come to the drop in clinic.<
SFTU members get free counseling for a year, phone counseling access, our comprehensive Tenants Rights Handbook and a subscription to Tenant Times, the city's tenant newspaper.
Saturday, August 10, 2013
SFpark
Location: San Francisco,CA
Website: www.sfpark.org
SFMTA established SFpark to use new technologies and policies to improve parking in San Francisco. Reducing traffic by helping drivers find parking benefits everyone. More parking availability makes streets less congested and safer. Meters that accept credit and debit cards reduce frustration and parking citations. With SFpark, we can all circle less and live more.
SFpark works by collecting and distributing real-time information about where parking is available so drivers can quickly find open spaces. To help achieve the right level of parking availability, SFparkperiodically adjusts meter and garage pricing up and down to match demand. Demand-responsive pricing encourages drivers to park in underused areas and garages, reducing demand in overused areas.
Through SFpark, real-time data and demand-responsive pricing work together to readjust parking patterns in the City so that parking is easier to find.
SFpark is testing its new parking management system at 7,000 of San Francisco’s 28,800 metered spaces and 12,250 spaces in 15 of 20 City-owned parking garages. Federal funding through the Department of Transportation’s Urban Partnership Program pays for 80 percent of the SFpark project.
SFpark optimizes the use of existing parking resources to benefit drivers and everyone else who spends time in San Francisco. Public transit riders, bicyclists, pedestrians, business owners, residents and visitors can all expect this innovative new parking management project to improve their quality of life in many ways.
In November 2008, the SFMTA Board of Directors approved legislation that enabled the SFpark pilot project. It defined the SFpark pilot areas and specified, as required by city law, the ranges and limits for rates and time limits, as well as parking availability targets.
SFpark is testing wireless parking sensors, new meters and demand-responsive pricing in neighborhoods across the City over the next two years. The pilot areas include Civic Center/Hayes Valley, the Financial District, SoMa/Mission Bay, the Mission, Fisherman’s Wharf, the Fillmore and the Marina.
From its technology to its unique pricing policies, publications, organizations, and government agencies around the world have recognized the SFMTA’s SFpark project for its innovative solutions to urban parking management. SF park is honored to have received or been selected as a finalist for the following awards.
The SFMTA has worked closely with a team of valued partners from academia, government, and the private sector to deliver the SFpark pilot project. Together, these organizations have not only helped improve parking in San Francisco, their contributions may lend insight to ways to help solve transportation challenges worldwide.
Website: www.sfpark.org
SFMTA established SFpark to use new technologies and policies to improve parking in San Francisco. Reducing traffic by helping drivers find parking benefits everyone. More parking availability makes streets less congested and safer. Meters that accept credit and debit cards reduce frustration and parking citations. With SFpark, we can all circle less and live more.
SFpark works by collecting and distributing real-time information about where parking is available so drivers can quickly find open spaces. To help achieve the right level of parking availability, SFparkperiodically adjusts meter and garage pricing up and down to match demand. Demand-responsive pricing encourages drivers to park in underused areas and garages, reducing demand in overused areas.
Through SFpark, real-time data and demand-responsive pricing work together to readjust parking patterns in the City so that parking is easier to find.
SFpark is testing its new parking management system at 7,000 of San Francisco’s 28,800 metered spaces and 12,250 spaces in 15 of 20 City-owned parking garages. Federal funding through the Department of Transportation’s Urban Partnership Program pays for 80 percent of the SFpark project.
SFpark optimizes the use of existing parking resources to benefit drivers and everyone else who spends time in San Francisco. Public transit riders, bicyclists, pedestrians, business owners, residents and visitors can all expect this innovative new parking management project to improve their quality of life in many ways.
In November 2008, the SFMTA Board of Directors approved legislation that enabled the SFpark pilot project. It defined the SFpark pilot areas and specified, as required by city law, the ranges and limits for rates and time limits, as well as parking availability targets.
SFpark is testing wireless parking sensors, new meters and demand-responsive pricing in neighborhoods across the City over the next two years. The pilot areas include Civic Center/Hayes Valley, the Financial District, SoMa/Mission Bay, the Mission, Fisherman’s Wharf, the Fillmore and the Marina.
From its technology to its unique pricing policies, publications, organizations, and government agencies around the world have recognized the SFMTA’s SFpark project for its innovative solutions to urban parking management. SF park is honored to have received or been selected as a finalist for the following awards.
The SFMTA has worked closely with a team of valued partners from academia, government, and the private sector to deliver the SFpark pilot project. Together, these organizations have not only helped improve parking in San Francisco, their contributions may lend insight to ways to help solve transportation challenges worldwide.
Sunday, June 2, 2013
San Francisco Housing Coalition
Location: San Francisco, CA,
Website: www.sfhc.org
The SFHAC is a small, lean operation with a staff of two, an executive director and a project manager. From the start, our work has largely been done by the amazing community of volunteers and activists from our member organizations in three long-running committees as dictated in our bylaws.
The Endorsement Committee reviews and discusses proposed projects to see how they match up with our endorsement guidelines. If we endorse a project, the SFHAC becomes one of the few groups to advocate for it at public hearings and in the entitlement process. This is not a small service in a city with such strong NIMBY views.
The Regulatory Committee addresses housing and land use policy and legislation. In a city like ours, there are always policy proposals. Where they advance SFHAC’s mission we support them and push to get them enacted. Where they are harmful to our mission, we work to modify them to cause the least harm possible to our mission. We also work to influence housing policies in a proactive, inclusive fashion from the beginning, such as our work with then-Supervisor Mark Leno on an affordable housing ordinance or our current advocacy on the creation of student housing legislation.
The Outreach Committee manages SFHAC’s interface with the public. It helps craft our messages, plan our public events and help with membership recruitment.
Website: www.sfhc.org
The SFHAC is a small, lean operation with a staff of two, an executive director and a project manager. From the start, our work has largely been done by the amazing community of volunteers and activists from our member organizations in three long-running committees as dictated in our bylaws.
The Endorsement Committee reviews and discusses proposed projects to see how they match up with our endorsement guidelines. If we endorse a project, the SFHAC becomes one of the few groups to advocate for it at public hearings and in the entitlement process. This is not a small service in a city with such strong NIMBY views.
The Regulatory Committee addresses housing and land use policy and legislation. In a city like ours, there are always policy proposals. Where they advance SFHAC’s mission we support them and push to get them enacted. Where they are harmful to our mission, we work to modify them to cause the least harm possible to our mission. We also work to influence housing policies in a proactive, inclusive fashion from the beginning, such as our work with then-Supervisor Mark Leno on an affordable housing ordinance or our current advocacy on the creation of student housing legislation.
The Outreach Committee manages SFHAC’s interface with the public. It helps craft our messages, plan our public events and help with membership recruitment.
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
Urban Prototyping
Location: San Francisco, CA
Website: www.urbanprototyping.org
UP: San Francisco is a festival centered around Placemaking Through Prototyping: How Citizen Experiments Reimagine the Public Realm. The festival fosters a wide array of new creative projects which blend the digital and physical to explore new possibilities in public space. Every project produced is open source, publicly documented, and replicable in any city in the world.
The project teams behind these works represent exciting new collaborations between the creative technology, participatory art, and urban design communities. The UP Festival 2012 series of events – centered around an open call for proposals, a weekend makeathon, and a public street exposition– brought together thousands of participants and attendees, building a community around civic engagement through creative work.
The UP exposition in October 2012 served as a high-visibility public venue for showcasing San Francisco’s leadership in the fields of technology, design, civic participation, and maker culture.
UP ia a global movement exploring how participatory design, art, and technology can improve cities. Each UP Festival uses its own strategy to uniquely address that city’s specific circumstances – soliciting, testing, and deploying digital and physical projects with high potential for impact.
Gray Area Foundation for the Arts (GAFFTA), the San Francisco nonprofit dedicated to building social consciousness through digital culture, in partnership with Rebar, IDEO, and strong local partners in cities around the globe.
UP: San Francisco is produced in partnership with Intersection for the Arts and the San Francisco Mayor’s Office of Civic Innovation, with many other organizations contributing to the effort. For more information, see our Partners page.
San Francisco is the second city to host an UP Festival, with Singapore hosting the inaugural festival in conjunction with the World Cities Summit in June-July 2012. Produced in partnership with Newton Circus and Re:Imagine Group,
UP Singapore focused on how public and private data could be leveraged to build new web and mobile applications promoting health and sustainability.
Website: www.urbanprototyping.org
UP: San Francisco is a festival centered around Placemaking Through Prototyping: How Citizen Experiments Reimagine the Public Realm. The festival fosters a wide array of new creative projects which blend the digital and physical to explore new possibilities in public space. Every project produced is open source, publicly documented, and replicable in any city in the world.
The project teams behind these works represent exciting new collaborations between the creative technology, participatory art, and urban design communities. The UP Festival 2012 series of events – centered around an open call for proposals, a weekend makeathon, and a public street exposition– brought together thousands of participants and attendees, building a community around civic engagement through creative work.
The UP exposition in October 2012 served as a high-visibility public venue for showcasing San Francisco’s leadership in the fields of technology, design, civic participation, and maker culture.
UP ia a global movement exploring how participatory design, art, and technology can improve cities. Each UP Festival uses its own strategy to uniquely address that city’s specific circumstances – soliciting, testing, and deploying digital and physical projects with high potential for impact.
Gray Area Foundation for the Arts (GAFFTA), the San Francisco nonprofit dedicated to building social consciousness through digital culture, in partnership with Rebar, IDEO, and strong local partners in cities around the globe.
UP: San Francisco is produced in partnership with Intersection for the Arts and the San Francisco Mayor’s Office of Civic Innovation, with many other organizations contributing to the effort. For more information, see our Partners page.
San Francisco is the second city to host an UP Festival, with Singapore hosting the inaugural festival in conjunction with the World Cities Summit in June-July 2012. Produced in partnership with Newton Circus and Re:Imagine Group,
UP Singapore focused on how public and private data could be leveraged to build new web and mobile applications promoting health and sustainability.
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
Stairway Walks of San Francisco
Location: San Francisco, CA
Website: www.sfstairwaywalks.weebly.com
Hundreds of stairways traverse San Francisco's 42 hills, exposing scenic vistas and linking diverse neighborhoods.
Recently released in its 6th edition, Stairway Walks in San Francisco has something for everyone, whether you want to explore a different San Francisco neighborhood, find an inspiring exercise route, or learn about the City's history and architecture.
The author, Adah Bakalinsky, is the queen of San Francisco's majestic, quirky, and quotidian stairways. Walker nonpareil and veteran guide, she explores the hidden corridors and cul-de-sacs of the city, charting neighborhood changes by gathering stories from residents, gardeners, and shopkeepers. She knows this city inside and out, from bottom to top, and most certainly like the backs of her...ummm...shoes.
You really should meet her sometime. So mark your calendars for the biggest stairways extravaganza of the year - May 5th San Francisco Stairway Day.
From Lands Ends to Eureka Valley, you'll be able to go on FREE walking tours with the City Guides of San Francisco (a project of the San Francisco Public Library), rub shoulders with Adah and other stairway-devotees, and undoubtedly discover a wholly new perspective of the city.
And don't leave your camera behind! To show off your skills, please join our group on Flickr,www.flickr.com/groups/stairwaywalks, where Wilderness Press will be hosting an ongoing photo contest. As Adah says, "Happy heeling, frisky footing, and merry walking!"
Website: www.sfstairwaywalks.weebly.com
Hundreds of stairways traverse San Francisco's 42 hills, exposing scenic vistas and linking diverse neighborhoods.
Recently released in its 6th edition, Stairway Walks in San Francisco has something for everyone, whether you want to explore a different San Francisco neighborhood, find an inspiring exercise route, or learn about the City's history and architecture.
The author, Adah Bakalinsky, is the queen of San Francisco's majestic, quirky, and quotidian stairways. Walker nonpareil and veteran guide, she explores the hidden corridors and cul-de-sacs of the city, charting neighborhood changes by gathering stories from residents, gardeners, and shopkeepers. She knows this city inside and out, from bottom to top, and most certainly like the backs of her...ummm...shoes.
You really should meet her sometime. So mark your calendars for the biggest stairways extravaganza of the year - May 5th San Francisco Stairway Day.
From Lands Ends to Eureka Valley, you'll be able to go on FREE walking tours with the City Guides of San Francisco (a project of the San Francisco Public Library), rub shoulders with Adah and other stairway-devotees, and undoubtedly discover a wholly new perspective of the city.
And don't leave your camera behind! To show off your skills, please join our group on Flickr,www.flickr.com/groups/stairwaywalks, where Wilderness Press will be hosting an ongoing photo contest. As Adah says, "Happy heeling, frisky footing, and merry walking!"
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
SF: Urban Prototyping
Location: San Francisco, CA
Website:
www.urbanprototyping.org
UP: San Francisco is a festival centered around Placemaking Through Prototyping: How Citizen Experiments Reimagine the Public Realm. The festival fosters a wide array of new creative projects which blend the digital and physical to explore new possibilities in public space. Every project produced is open source, publicly documented, and replicable in any city in the world.
The project teams behind these works represent exciting new collaborations between the creative technology, participatory art, and urban design communities. The UP Festival 2012 series of events – centered around an open call for proposals, a weekend makeathon, and a public street exposition – brought together thousands of participants and attendees, building a community around civic engagement through creative work.
The UP exposition in October 2012 served as a high-visibility public venue for showcasing San Francisco’s leadership in the fields of technology, design, civic participation, and maker culture.
Urban Prototyping is a global movement exploring how participatory design, art, and technology can improve cities. Each UP Festival uses its own strategy to uniquely address that city’s specific circumstances – soliciting, testing, and deploying digital and physical projects with high potential for impact.
UP is an initiative of Gray Area Foundation for the Arts (GAFFTA), the San Francisco nonprofit dedicated to building social consciousness through digital culture, in partnership with Rebar, IDEO, and strong local partners in cities around the globe.
UP: San Francisco is produced in partnership with Intersection for the Arts and the San Francisco Mayor’s Office of Civic Innovation, with many other organizations contributing to the effort. For more information, see our Partners page.
San Francisco is the second city to host an UP Festival, with Singapore hosting the inaugural festival in conjunction with the World Cities Summit in June-July 2012. Produced in partnership with Newton Circus and Re:Imagine Group, UP Singapore focused on how public and private data could be leveraged to build new web and mobile applications promoting health and sustainability.
Website:
www.urbanprototyping.org
UP: San Francisco is a festival centered around Placemaking Through Prototyping: How Citizen Experiments Reimagine the Public Realm. The festival fosters a wide array of new creative projects which blend the digital and physical to explore new possibilities in public space. Every project produced is open source, publicly documented, and replicable in any city in the world.
The project teams behind these works represent exciting new collaborations between the creative technology, participatory art, and urban design communities. The UP Festival 2012 series of events – centered around an open call for proposals, a weekend makeathon, and a public street exposition – brought together thousands of participants and attendees, building a community around civic engagement through creative work.
The UP exposition in October 2012 served as a high-visibility public venue for showcasing San Francisco’s leadership in the fields of technology, design, civic participation, and maker culture.
Urban Prototyping is a global movement exploring how participatory design, art, and technology can improve cities. Each UP Festival uses its own strategy to uniquely address that city’s specific circumstances – soliciting, testing, and deploying digital and physical projects with high potential for impact.
UP is an initiative of Gray Area Foundation for the Arts (GAFFTA), the San Francisco nonprofit dedicated to building social consciousness through digital culture, in partnership with Rebar, IDEO, and strong local partners in cities around the globe.
UP: San Francisco is produced in partnership with Intersection for the Arts and the San Francisco Mayor’s Office of Civic Innovation, with many other organizations contributing to the effort. For more information, see our Partners page.
San Francisco is the second city to host an UP Festival, with Singapore hosting the inaugural festival in conjunction with the World Cities Summit in June-July 2012. Produced in partnership with Newton Circus and Re:Imagine Group, UP Singapore focused on how public and private data could be leveraged to build new web and mobile applications promoting health and sustainability.
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
San Francisco Bicycle Coalition
Location: San Francisco, CA
Website: www.sfbike.org
For over 40 years, the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition has been transforming San Francisco's streets and neighborhoods into more livable and safe places by promoting the bicycle for everyday transportation.
Through our day-to-day advocacy, education, and working partnerships with government and community agencies, we are helping create safer streets and more livable communities for all San Franciscans.
Our active 12,000 members represent San Franciscans of all ages, from all neighborhoods, who are working towards more safe, efficient, and fun ways to move around our city. The SF Bicycle Coalition is the largest city-based bicycle advocacy group in the nation and one of the largest membership-based groups in San Francisco. Our members donated over 16,000 volunteer hours in 2011.
The San Francisco Bicycle Coalition is transforming San Francisco's streets and neighborhoods into more livable and safe places by promoting the bicycle for everyday transportation.
Recent San Francisco Bicycle Coalition Successes:
- Worked with BOMA and Supervisor Avalos on the Employee Bicycle Access Bill, which was signed into law this year. San Francisco now has the most progressive and strongest workplace bicycle access in the nation.
- Helped get Proposition B passed, which provides millions of dollars to make San Francisco streets safer and smoother.
- Published the Family Biking Guide, a free how-to manual for all stages of family biking-from pregnancy through biking your child to school.
- So far in 2012, we have taught 2,000 people in our free bicycle education classes, and reached tens of thousands with our safety and education resources.
- Partnered in expanding Sunday Streets to neighborhoods across San Francisco, and expanded the program to include four consecutive Mission District routes this year.
- Helped implement San Francisco's first parking-protected bikeway on JFK Drive, opening up 1.5 miles of safe, 8-to-80 bikeway in Golden Gate Park.
- In working with BART and the East Bay Bicycle Coalition we brought the Bikes on Bart Pilot, where every Friday in August the bicycle ban was lifted during rush-hour. The pilot was a great step toward opening up regional travel by bike and in keeping with BART’s new forward-thinking Bicycle Plan.
- Launched the Great Streets Project, which created San Francisco's innovative and expanding parklet program, that serves as a model for cities across the country.
- Through our world-famous valet bicycle parking program, we parked 20,000 bicycles at over 80 events in 2011, including all the Giants home games.
Invited record numbers of people to bike in San Francisco. City bicycle counts showed a 71% increase in the number of people bicycling in San Francisco in the last five years.
San Francisco Bicycle Coalition in the Community:
- Offers free Urban Cycling Workshops that teach thousands of people each year how bike confidently, respectfully and lawfully on city streets. (in partnership with the SF Municipal Transportation Agency. ) Classes are offered in Cantonese, Spanish and English.
- Distributes hundreds of free bike lights and helmets to adults and children in underserved communities.
- Host an annual Family Bicycling Day, where kids can learn how to ride a bicycle and can learn bike safety skills on a car-free stretch of Golden Gate Park.
- Joined a coalition of groups to campaign for the removal of the Central Freeway and the better Octavia Boulevard that exists today.
- We provide free, valet bike parking at San Francisco Giants games, and major festivals and events throughout San Francisco.
The San Francisco Bicycle Coalition has working partnerships with major government and community agencies to improve the overall transportation network and livability of San Francisco:
- SF Municipal Transportation Agency: Co-sponsored "CoExist" campaign encouraging people driving and bicycling to share the road. We also partner to host the successful Bike to Work Day, teach Urban Cycling Workshops and distribute thousands of free bicycle lights.
- SF Dept. of Public Health: Partner on the Safe Routes to School Program alongside the ShapeUp SF Coalition, Presidio Community YMCA, SF Unified School District, SF Police Department, and the SF Municipal Transportation Agency. This program aims to make biking and walking to school easier for parents and kids through education, safer streets and incentives.
- Caltrain: Worked together to open new bike parking station at Caltrain 4th & King.
BART: Worked together to expand bike access on trains and to open the Embarcadero bike parking station, where commuters can securely lock their bicycles.
- SF Police Department: Co-produced a first-ever, police training video educating officers of bicyclists' rights and responsibilities on the road.
- YMCA: Partner together on middle school, after-school bike education program.
- Senior Action Network & Walk SF: Work together to improve street safety for people walking and bicycling at intersections such as Fell and Masonic and Market and Octavia.
- San Francisco Giants: The SF Bicycle Coalition provides free valet bike parking at all home Giants.
The San Francisco Bicycle Coalition is one of the oldest bicycle advocacy organizations in the country. Founded in 1971 by a group of activists representing a coalition of environmental and neighborhood groups, the SF Bicycle Coalition started the convention of calling an advocacy group a "coalition" while riding groups were known as clubs.
It quickly evolved into a powerful alliance of individuals working for a more bicycle-friendly city, winning bike lanes on upper Market Street, removing the ban on bicycling through the Broadway Tunnel, and gaining access to the Golden Gate Bridge and, along with the East Bay Bicycle Coalition, gaining access to BART. Mostly defunct throughout the 1980s, it was rejuvenated in October 1990 with the first issue of the newsletter, then known as "the tubular times."
Operated entirely by volunteers for the first several years, it has been dominated by a grassroots volunteer ethic ever since, growing into one of the strongest bicycle advocacy organizations in the country. Its biggest victory in the 1990s were the bicycle lanes on Valencia Street, supported by the Board of Supervisors despite a Department of Parking & Traffic Director who declared "they'll be bike lanes on Valencia Street over my dead body."
The SF Bicycle Coalition, in conjunction with the Bicycle Advisory Committee, was also responsible for some of the strongest requirements for indoor bicycle parking and public event attended bicycle parking in the country.
Website: www.sfbike.org
For over 40 years, the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition has been transforming San Francisco's streets and neighborhoods into more livable and safe places by promoting the bicycle for everyday transportation.
Through our day-to-day advocacy, education, and working partnerships with government and community agencies, we are helping create safer streets and more livable communities for all San Franciscans.
Our active 12,000 members represent San Franciscans of all ages, from all neighborhoods, who are working towards more safe, efficient, and fun ways to move around our city. The SF Bicycle Coalition is the largest city-based bicycle advocacy group in the nation and one of the largest membership-based groups in San Francisco. Our members donated over 16,000 volunteer hours in 2011.
The San Francisco Bicycle Coalition is transforming San Francisco's streets and neighborhoods into more livable and safe places by promoting the bicycle for everyday transportation.
Recent San Francisco Bicycle Coalition Successes:
- Worked with BOMA and Supervisor Avalos on the Employee Bicycle Access Bill, which was signed into law this year. San Francisco now has the most progressive and strongest workplace bicycle access in the nation.
- Helped get Proposition B passed, which provides millions of dollars to make San Francisco streets safer and smoother.
- Published the Family Biking Guide, a free how-to manual for all stages of family biking-from pregnancy through biking your child to school.
- So far in 2012, we have taught 2,000 people in our free bicycle education classes, and reached tens of thousands with our safety and education resources.
- Partnered in expanding Sunday Streets to neighborhoods across San Francisco, and expanded the program to include four consecutive Mission District routes this year.
- Helped implement San Francisco's first parking-protected bikeway on JFK Drive, opening up 1.5 miles of safe, 8-to-80 bikeway in Golden Gate Park.
- In working with BART and the East Bay Bicycle Coalition we brought the Bikes on Bart Pilot, where every Friday in August the bicycle ban was lifted during rush-hour. The pilot was a great step toward opening up regional travel by bike and in keeping with BART’s new forward-thinking Bicycle Plan.
- Launched the Great Streets Project, which created San Francisco's innovative and expanding parklet program, that serves as a model for cities across the country.
- Through our world-famous valet bicycle parking program, we parked 20,000 bicycles at over 80 events in 2011, including all the Giants home games.
Invited record numbers of people to bike in San Francisco. City bicycle counts showed a 71% increase in the number of people bicycling in San Francisco in the last five years.
San Francisco Bicycle Coalition in the Community:
- Offers free Urban Cycling Workshops that teach thousands of people each year how bike confidently, respectfully and lawfully on city streets. (in partnership with the SF Municipal Transportation Agency. ) Classes are offered in Cantonese, Spanish and English.
- Distributes hundreds of free bike lights and helmets to adults and children in underserved communities.
- Host an annual Family Bicycling Day, where kids can learn how to ride a bicycle and can learn bike safety skills on a car-free stretch of Golden Gate Park.
- Joined a coalition of groups to campaign for the removal of the Central Freeway and the better Octavia Boulevard that exists today.
- We provide free, valet bike parking at San Francisco Giants games, and major festivals and events throughout San Francisco.
The San Francisco Bicycle Coalition has working partnerships with major government and community agencies to improve the overall transportation network and livability of San Francisco:
- SF Municipal Transportation Agency: Co-sponsored "CoExist" campaign encouraging people driving and bicycling to share the road. We also partner to host the successful Bike to Work Day, teach Urban Cycling Workshops and distribute thousands of free bicycle lights.
- SF Dept. of Public Health: Partner on the Safe Routes to School Program alongside the ShapeUp SF Coalition, Presidio Community YMCA, SF Unified School District, SF Police Department, and the SF Municipal Transportation Agency. This program aims to make biking and walking to school easier for parents and kids through education, safer streets and incentives.
- Caltrain: Worked together to open new bike parking station at Caltrain 4th & King.
BART: Worked together to expand bike access on trains and to open the Embarcadero bike parking station, where commuters can securely lock their bicycles.
- SF Police Department: Co-produced a first-ever, police training video educating officers of bicyclists' rights and responsibilities on the road.
- YMCA: Partner together on middle school, after-school bike education program.
- Senior Action Network & Walk SF: Work together to improve street safety for people walking and bicycling at intersections such as Fell and Masonic and Market and Octavia.
- San Francisco Giants: The SF Bicycle Coalition provides free valet bike parking at all home Giants.
The San Francisco Bicycle Coalition is one of the oldest bicycle advocacy organizations in the country. Founded in 1971 by a group of activists representing a coalition of environmental and neighborhood groups, the SF Bicycle Coalition started the convention of calling an advocacy group a "coalition" while riding groups were known as clubs.
It quickly evolved into a powerful alliance of individuals working for a more bicycle-friendly city, winning bike lanes on upper Market Street, removing the ban on bicycling through the Broadway Tunnel, and gaining access to the Golden Gate Bridge and, along with the East Bay Bicycle Coalition, gaining access to BART. Mostly defunct throughout the 1980s, it was rejuvenated in October 1990 with the first issue of the newsletter, then known as "the tubular times."
Operated entirely by volunteers for the first several years, it has been dominated by a grassroots volunteer ethic ever since, growing into one of the strongest bicycle advocacy organizations in the country. Its biggest victory in the 1990s were the bicycle lanes on Valencia Street, supported by the Board of Supervisors despite a Department of Parking & Traffic Director who declared "they'll be bike lanes on Valencia Street over my dead body."
The SF Bicycle Coalition, in conjunction with the Bicycle Advisory Committee, was also responsible for some of the strongest requirements for indoor bicycle parking and public event attended bicycle parking in the country.
Friday, December 21, 2012
People in Plazas
Location: San Francisco, CA
Website: www.peopleinplazas.org
Our mission is to activate urban open spaces through events which generate social congregation. Our aim is to bring these spaces to the status of "everybody's neighborhood."
People in Plazas provides more than 500 paid "gigs" annually for local musicians. We support live music performance and embrace the diversity and wealth of the Bay Area music community.
The series has grown to producing 170+ free performances in public plazas during July, August and September. Venues stretch from The Pyramid Building up to Castro Street on or near Market Street. The program reaches an audience of more than 45,000 annually.
The "People in Plazas" series is supported by the Mayor's Office, Art Commission, Musicians Union Local 6, AFM. SFPD, the SF Entertainment Commission and with a grant from the Hotel Tax Fund /Grants for the Arts. Downtown property owners provide venue sponsorship.
People in Plazas is a 501c3 non profit corporation
Website: www.peopleinplazas.org
Our mission is to activate urban open spaces through events which generate social congregation. Our aim is to bring these spaces to the status of "everybody's neighborhood."
People in Plazas provides more than 500 paid "gigs" annually for local musicians. We support live music performance and embrace the diversity and wealth of the Bay Area music community.
The series has grown to producing 170+ free performances in public plazas during July, August and September. Venues stretch from The Pyramid Building up to Castro Street on or near Market Street. The program reaches an audience of more than 45,000 annually.
The "People in Plazas" series is supported by the Mayor's Office, Art Commission, Musicians Union Local 6, AFM. SFPD, the SF Entertainment Commission and with a grant from the Hotel Tax Fund /Grants for the Arts. Downtown property owners provide venue sponsorship.
People in Plazas is a 501c3 non profit corporation
Monday, December 10, 2012
San Francisco Beautiful
Location: San Francisco, CA
Website: www.sfbeautiful.org
San Francisco is beautiful because we make it that way. When our plazas need help, we refresh them.
Our vision is to keep San Francisco beautiful.
Our mission is to create, enhance, and maintain the unique beauty and livability of San Francisco.
For more than 60 years, San Francisco Beautiful — a group of citizens, neighbors, friends, and philanthropists — has been integral in making San Francisco the extraordinary place it is today.
We work to keep San Francisco beautiful through civic engagement, partnering with communities to build better neighborhoods, and celebrating urban innovation.
If you love San Francisco, we love you. Join now to keep San Francisco beautiful.
Website: www.sfbeautiful.org
San Francisco is beautiful because we make it that way. When our plazas need help, we refresh them.
Our vision is to keep San Francisco beautiful.
Our mission is to create, enhance, and maintain the unique beauty and livability of San Francisco.
For more than 60 years, San Francisco Beautiful — a group of citizens, neighbors, friends, and philanthropists — has been integral in making San Francisco the extraordinary place it is today.
We work to keep San Francisco beautiful through civic engagement, partnering with communities to build better neighborhoods, and celebrating urban innovation.
If you love San Francisco, we love you. Join now to keep San Francisco beautiful.
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Thinkwalks
Location: San Francisco, CA
Website: www.thinkwalks.com
There was a time when Thinkwalks was nothing but tours and talks. Now we’re setting up a community education board on Divisadero and more projects are in the works!
November 2003: The first Water Walking Tour! (Vulcan Stairway)
Originally, Joel conducted tours mostly for visitors, but in late 2009, by popular demand, he retooled Thinkwalks as “Nerdy Tours for San Franciscans,” to great effect. There are so many people in SF with deep knowledge or curiosity about the city, and many newcomers who share that.
Since then, we’ve also welcomed travelers, newcomers and visitors. If you know the difference between the Golden Gate Bridge and Golden Gate Park, you’re San Franciscan enough for a Thinkwalk. Many of the people on these tours are deeply knowledgeable locals including scientists and curators, some of whom know the city amazingly well.
Joel, your guide, had been exploring and writing about the history of SF creeks and fresh water for years, and occasionally giving a public talk. He also helped create a number of public murals, the Wiggle bike route and various essential maps. You can find out more about him on the FAQ page.
Topics we explore and why
In general, we cover topics few others cover. Lots of people research (or spread myths) about the Gold Rush, Emperor Norton, The Barbary Coast and so on. But who else talks about how nature transformed into a city and how that unfolded?
Few guides research their own material from original source documents to find out how SF’s juicily-hidden neighborhoods got to be how they are now. At Thinkwalks, we tie an exploration of history, nature and art to the economic and population shifts, in the hope that the knowledge of the past empowers you to be a full participant in your world.
Sadly, many SF tour companies just spread rumors and silly myths!
San Francisco’s past is a quaint, colorful tale of eye-rolling stories and weird behaviors to be entertained by, right? Wrong. Hollywood would have it that way, and so would most local politicians. But the truth, when you dig it out of its commercially arranged grave, looks more like a parade of deeply concerned and idealistic innovators, trying things that help average people live more empowered and creative lives. Of course this causes trouble for the controlling economic interests, so they are elbowed out of “respectable” history and tucked behind the carefully sculpted stories of Emperor Norton (whose real story is that he was a creative capital speculator who went insane from being a loser in SF’s typical boom-bust economic games).
In a better world, those idealistic people are honored and studied as inspirational examples. At Thinkwalks, we like to hang out with creative people who feel the same.
We invite you to our tours to scrutinize the exhumed info with amazement—as a collaborative, deliberative effort! That’s right. That’s something very special to Thinkwalks: group discussions and evaluation of the evidence.
Yes, we love living in one of the most dynamic places in the world. Why would we want to dismiss it as a fairy tale?
Website: www.thinkwalks.com
There was a time when Thinkwalks was nothing but tours and talks. Now we’re setting up a community education board on Divisadero and more projects are in the works!
November 2003: The first Water Walking Tour! (Vulcan Stairway)
Originally, Joel conducted tours mostly for visitors, but in late 2009, by popular demand, he retooled Thinkwalks as “Nerdy Tours for San Franciscans,” to great effect. There are so many people in SF with deep knowledge or curiosity about the city, and many newcomers who share that.
Since then, we’ve also welcomed travelers, newcomers and visitors. If you know the difference between the Golden Gate Bridge and Golden Gate Park, you’re San Franciscan enough for a Thinkwalk. Many of the people on these tours are deeply knowledgeable locals including scientists and curators, some of whom know the city amazingly well.
Joel, your guide, had been exploring and writing about the history of SF creeks and fresh water for years, and occasionally giving a public talk. He also helped create a number of public murals, the Wiggle bike route and various essential maps. You can find out more about him on the FAQ page.
Topics we explore and why
In general, we cover topics few others cover. Lots of people research (or spread myths) about the Gold Rush, Emperor Norton, The Barbary Coast and so on. But who else talks about how nature transformed into a city and how that unfolded?
Few guides research their own material from original source documents to find out how SF’s juicily-hidden neighborhoods got to be how they are now. At Thinkwalks, we tie an exploration of history, nature and art to the economic and population shifts, in the hope that the knowledge of the past empowers you to be a full participant in your world.
Sadly, many SF tour companies just spread rumors and silly myths!
San Francisco’s past is a quaint, colorful tale of eye-rolling stories and weird behaviors to be entertained by, right? Wrong. Hollywood would have it that way, and so would most local politicians. But the truth, when you dig it out of its commercially arranged grave, looks more like a parade of deeply concerned and idealistic innovators, trying things that help average people live more empowered and creative lives. Of course this causes trouble for the controlling economic interests, so they are elbowed out of “respectable” history and tucked behind the carefully sculpted stories of Emperor Norton (whose real story is that he was a creative capital speculator who went insane from being a loser in SF’s typical boom-bust economic games).
In a better world, those idealistic people are honored and studied as inspirational examples. At Thinkwalks, we like to hang out with creative people who feel the same.
We invite you to our tours to scrutinize the exhumed info with amazement—as a collaborative, deliberative effort! That’s right. That’s something very special to Thinkwalks: group discussions and evaluation of the evidence.
Yes, we love living in one of the most dynamic places in the world. Why would we want to dismiss it as a fairy tale?
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
SF City Guides
Location: San Francisco, CA
Website: www.sfcityguides.org
Do I need to make a reservation?
No. Just show up at the time and place indicated on the schedule. (NOTE: We ask groups of 8 or more to schedule a special tour several weeks in advance.)
How do I recognize the guide?
Your guide will be wearing a badge that displays the City Guides logo. If you don’t see the badge, just look for someone at the appointed place who seems ready to lead a tour.
What are the tours like?
Very fun and informative. We'll show you a combination of tried-and-true San Francisco landmarks and off-the-beaten-path sites.
What if it rains?
We walk rain or shine. We do have a few indoor tours: Palace Hotel, Fire Dept Museum, Coit Tower. But most of our tours are outdoors, and our policy is if guests are ready to walk, we lead the tour. We don’t have a snow policy, but the last major snowstorm in San Francisco was in the 1890s. So we’ll play that one by ear. (Note, however, that a very few tours take place where the terrain would raise safety issues or otherwise be particularly unsuited for walking in the rain. The individual tour descriptions will indicate, in such cases, that the tour will be cancelled in case of rain.)
What if the guide does not show up?
We would like to say that this just does not happen. However, guides can experience an emergency and not make it to the starting place. A no-show is a rare event.
Are tours strenuous?
Mostly no, although walking in San Francisco often involves hills. We try to indicate in the tour descriptions the somewhat strenuous tours. If you have mobility concerns, call the City Guides.
Can my (large) group join a City Guides tour?
City Guides does not allow groups of 8 or more to join our regularly scheduled walks. Large groups are a challenge and need to be pre-scheduled as private group tours.
Are pets allowed?
In consideration of the health, safety and comfort of our walkers, pets are not allowed on tours. Besides common fears and allergies, pets can cause distractions or safety hazards during a walking tour. Pets are prohibited by public law or private policy in some buildings included on tours. Licensed service animals are excepted.
Do you give tours on holidays?
City Guides runs a very limited schedule on these holidays: Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas, New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day. Please check our website on those dates to view an accurate limited schedule of our tours.
What do tours cost?
Regularly scheduled City Guides tours are free, although donations are always welcome. We can arrange special tours (see below), which do have a fee.
How do I arrange for a private group tour?
Private tours are available for groups or organizations for a suggested donation of $12 per person. Groups of 8 or more need to make arrangements in advance. A discounted rate of $10 per person applies for senior groups. Click here for more.
Tours for school groups (grades 4-12) are $5 per person.
Are donations accepted on regular tours?
Yes. Yes. Yes. Running an organization like this costs money even though the tours are given by volunteer guides. You can make a donation when you take a tour or you can become a sponsor (or both).
Who runs City Guides?
City Guides is a non-profit, primarily volunteer operation. Officially, we are a partner of the San Francisco Parks Alliance. There are more than 200 active guides. The guides annually elect, from among themselves, a management board. We have one full-time program director who runs the office.
What is your relationship to the San Francisco library?
City Guides has always had a special relationship with the San Francisco library. We got our start more than 30 years ago when a San Francisco mayor asked the city librarian to find volunteers to give tours in City Hall. In our early years, we were funded as a project of the Friends of the San Francisco Public Library. While no longer connected to the Friends, we still receive sponsorship from the library. City Guides provides fun yet educational services that are a logical extension of a free public library, which is the reason we continue to provide tours to the public without charge.
Where do you get your funding?
The majority of our funding comes from the voluntary donations made by those who take our tours and from individual sponsorships. We also receive modest grants from Grants for the Arts of the San Francisco Hotel Tax Fund and other organizations.
How can I become a City Guide?
We periodically hold a six-month course for new guides at an enrollment cost of $200. You’ll attend a series of Saturday talks by authorities on San Francisco history and receive coaching on tour presentation.
Website: www.sfcityguides.org
Do I need to make a reservation?
No. Just show up at the time and place indicated on the schedule. (NOTE: We ask groups of 8 or more to schedule a special tour several weeks in advance.)
How do I recognize the guide?
Your guide will be wearing a badge that displays the City Guides logo. If you don’t see the badge, just look for someone at the appointed place who seems ready to lead a tour.
What are the tours like?
Very fun and informative. We'll show you a combination of tried-and-true San Francisco landmarks and off-the-beaten-path sites.
What if it rains?
We walk rain or shine. We do have a few indoor tours: Palace Hotel, Fire Dept Museum, Coit Tower. But most of our tours are outdoors, and our policy is if guests are ready to walk, we lead the tour. We don’t have a snow policy, but the last major snowstorm in San Francisco was in the 1890s. So we’ll play that one by ear. (Note, however, that a very few tours take place where the terrain would raise safety issues or otherwise be particularly unsuited for walking in the rain. The individual tour descriptions will indicate, in such cases, that the tour will be cancelled in case of rain.)
What if the guide does not show up?
We would like to say that this just does not happen. However, guides can experience an emergency and not make it to the starting place. A no-show is a rare event.
Are tours strenuous?
Mostly no, although walking in San Francisco often involves hills. We try to indicate in the tour descriptions the somewhat strenuous tours. If you have mobility concerns, call the City Guides.
Can my (large) group join a City Guides tour?
City Guides does not allow groups of 8 or more to join our regularly scheduled walks. Large groups are a challenge and need to be pre-scheduled as private group tours.
Are pets allowed?
In consideration of the health, safety and comfort of our walkers, pets are not allowed on tours. Besides common fears and allergies, pets can cause distractions or safety hazards during a walking tour. Pets are prohibited by public law or private policy in some buildings included on tours. Licensed service animals are excepted.
Do you give tours on holidays?
City Guides runs a very limited schedule on these holidays: Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas, New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day. Please check our website on those dates to view an accurate limited schedule of our tours.
What do tours cost?
Regularly scheduled City Guides tours are free, although donations are always welcome. We can arrange special tours (see below), which do have a fee.
How do I arrange for a private group tour?
Private tours are available for groups or organizations for a suggested donation of $12 per person. Groups of 8 or more need to make arrangements in advance. A discounted rate of $10 per person applies for senior groups. Click here for more.
Tours for school groups (grades 4-12) are $5 per person.
Are donations accepted on regular tours?
Yes. Yes. Yes. Running an organization like this costs money even though the tours are given by volunteer guides. You can make a donation when you take a tour or you can become a sponsor (or both).
Who runs City Guides?
City Guides is a non-profit, primarily volunteer operation. Officially, we are a partner of the San Francisco Parks Alliance. There are more than 200 active guides. The guides annually elect, from among themselves, a management board. We have one full-time program director who runs the office.
What is your relationship to the San Francisco library?
City Guides has always had a special relationship with the San Francisco library. We got our start more than 30 years ago when a San Francisco mayor asked the city librarian to find volunteers to give tours in City Hall. In our early years, we were funded as a project of the Friends of the San Francisco Public Library. While no longer connected to the Friends, we still receive sponsorship from the library. City Guides provides fun yet educational services that are a logical extension of a free public library, which is the reason we continue to provide tours to the public without charge.
Where do you get your funding?
The majority of our funding comes from the voluntary donations made by those who take our tours and from individual sponsorships. We also receive modest grants from Grants for the Arts of the San Francisco Hotel Tax Fund and other organizations.
How can I become a City Guide?
We periodically hold a six-month course for new guides at an enrollment cost of $200. You’ll attend a series of Saturday talks by authorities on San Francisco history and receive coaching on tour presentation.
Monday, November 26, 2012
Liveable City
Location: San Francisco, CA
Website: www.liveablecity.org
Mission -
To create a balanced transportation system and promote complementary land use that supports a safer, healthier and more accessible San Francisco for everyone.
Goals -
Promote policies which shift travel from automobiles to more appropriate means.
Safety, livability, and economic vitality in a growing city are dependent on a reduction in our dependence on the automobile. To accomplish this goal, Livable City will promote the alternatives to the public, work with public agencies at their request to improve the provision of alternatives, and assist the various alternative transportation advocacy groups.
Improve the pedestrian environment...
Livable cities are built for walking, with bicycling and public transit as complementary modes. Livable City is working to integrate pedestrian improvements into neighborhood plans and street and corridor projects, advocate for completion of pedestrian projects citywide, support revitalization of the City's plazas and public open spaces, and support the efforts of neighborhood groups to improve the walkability of their neighborhoods through technical support and advocacy.
Livable City works with other pedestrian advocacy groups, including Walk San Francisco and Senior Action Network, to advocate for better planning, design, traffic management, education, and enforcement to improve pedestrian safety and promote walking in San Francisco.
Improve conditions for bicycling...
Support the Bicycle Coalition's charitable and educational efforts to promote the bicycle for everyday transportation. Livable City's goals include creating a bold and thorough bicylce plan for the city that will facilitate an increase in the percentage of trips made by bicycle from 3-5% today to 10% by 2015.
Improve public transit...
Muni will need continued public support to secure needed funding for operations, maintenance, and capital improvements and to establish transit priority in important corridors. Livable City worked to secure funding for Muni improvements in Propostion K, San Francisco's successful transportation sales tax, and is working to implement a citywide network of rapid transit and transit-priority routes that will improve Muni's speed and reliability, lower its operating costs, and attract new riders. Livable City also supports upgrading Caltrain to rapid transit-type service and extending it to the Transbay Terminal, and improving the accessibility and connectivity of the BART system.
Build an effective coalition for broad-based transportation reform.
Projects include our organization of a sustainable transportation summit, our participation in the Housing Action Coalition, greater participation by Livable City in the regional coalitions that already exist, and a new project to gain consensus support for the construction of significant amounts of affordable housing in walking-, biking-, and transit-accessible locations.
Integrate ecological design into the transportation system...
Transportation has an enormous impact on the local and global environment. 27% of the energy generated in the US goes to transportation, and transportation accounts for two-thirds of the petroleum consumed in the US. The waste and inefficiency built in to our automobile-based transportation system also threatens to consume greater and greater amounts of government and private resources; parking expert Donald Shoup estimates that the amount of money spent in the US each year subsidizing parking alone is equal to the amount spent on Medicare or national defense.
Livable City is dedicated to lessening the impact of transportation on the environment by encouraging human-powered transportation (walking and bicycling), discouraging automobile use, promoting compact and mixed-use development that minimizes the distance and cost of transport, and greening public transport by encouraging electrification of diesel bus and rail lines and improving the energy and resource efficiency of lighting, buildings, and vehicles. Livable City also supports integrating more "green infrastructure"—street trees, landscaping, permeable paving, parks and squares, "green streets", greenways, and greenbelts—into the city's transportation system.
Create a long-term, comprehensive traffic-calming plan for the City...
Livable City has worked over the past few years to change city standards and policies to include greater emphasis on pedestrian accessibility and safety in street design. We are working to make the city's upcoming streetscape master plan an opportunity to institute traffic calming measures on a citywide scale, as well as create detailed neighborhood-scale transportation and streetscape plans.
Website: www.liveablecity.org
Mission -
To create a balanced transportation system and promote complementary land use that supports a safer, healthier and more accessible San Francisco for everyone.
Goals -
Promote policies which shift travel from automobiles to more appropriate means.
Safety, livability, and economic vitality in a growing city are dependent on a reduction in our dependence on the automobile. To accomplish this goal, Livable City will promote the alternatives to the public, work with public agencies at their request to improve the provision of alternatives, and assist the various alternative transportation advocacy groups.
Improve the pedestrian environment...
Livable cities are built for walking, with bicycling and public transit as complementary modes. Livable City is working to integrate pedestrian improvements into neighborhood plans and street and corridor projects, advocate for completion of pedestrian projects citywide, support revitalization of the City's plazas and public open spaces, and support the efforts of neighborhood groups to improve the walkability of their neighborhoods through technical support and advocacy.
Livable City works with other pedestrian advocacy groups, including Walk San Francisco and Senior Action Network, to advocate for better planning, design, traffic management, education, and enforcement to improve pedestrian safety and promote walking in San Francisco.
Improve conditions for bicycling...
Support the Bicycle Coalition's charitable and educational efforts to promote the bicycle for everyday transportation. Livable City's goals include creating a bold and thorough bicylce plan for the city that will facilitate an increase in the percentage of trips made by bicycle from 3-5% today to 10% by 2015.
Improve public transit...
Muni will need continued public support to secure needed funding for operations, maintenance, and capital improvements and to establish transit priority in important corridors. Livable City worked to secure funding for Muni improvements in Propostion K, San Francisco's successful transportation sales tax, and is working to implement a citywide network of rapid transit and transit-priority routes that will improve Muni's speed and reliability, lower its operating costs, and attract new riders. Livable City also supports upgrading Caltrain to rapid transit-type service and extending it to the Transbay Terminal, and improving the accessibility and connectivity of the BART system.
Build an effective coalition for broad-based transportation reform.
Projects include our organization of a sustainable transportation summit, our participation in the Housing Action Coalition, greater participation by Livable City in the regional coalitions that already exist, and a new project to gain consensus support for the construction of significant amounts of affordable housing in walking-, biking-, and transit-accessible locations.
Integrate ecological design into the transportation system...
Transportation has an enormous impact on the local and global environment. 27% of the energy generated in the US goes to transportation, and transportation accounts for two-thirds of the petroleum consumed in the US. The waste and inefficiency built in to our automobile-based transportation system also threatens to consume greater and greater amounts of government and private resources; parking expert Donald Shoup estimates that the amount of money spent in the US each year subsidizing parking alone is equal to the amount spent on Medicare or national defense.
Livable City is dedicated to lessening the impact of transportation on the environment by encouraging human-powered transportation (walking and bicycling), discouraging automobile use, promoting compact and mixed-use development that minimizes the distance and cost of transport, and greening public transport by encouraging electrification of diesel bus and rail lines and improving the energy and resource efficiency of lighting, buildings, and vehicles. Livable City also supports integrating more "green infrastructure"—street trees, landscaping, permeable paving, parks and squares, "green streets", greenways, and greenbelts—into the city's transportation system.
Create a long-term, comprehensive traffic-calming plan for the City...
Livable City has worked over the past few years to change city standards and policies to include greater emphasis on pedestrian accessibility and safety in street design. We are working to make the city's upcoming streetscape master plan an opportunity to institute traffic calming measures on a citywide scale, as well as create detailed neighborhood-scale transportation and streetscape plans.
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