SF Public Space Stewardship Guide | San Francisco, CA

San Francisco has established itself as a national leader in creative approaches to providing attractive and functional public spaces at multiple scales. With the growing success of initiatives such as the Pavement to Parks program, the San Francisco Planning Department has dramatically increased the number of public spaces available to residents and visitors in recent years. These efforts have also engaged local organizations, businesses, and residents in a new way, presenting them with opportunities to be actively involved in the creation and stewardship of neighborhood public spaces. At this juncture, the Planning Department hired Street Plans to conduct a research study that would provide guidance and information about best practices for effective stewardship of emerging public spaces, from plazas, to parklets, to living alleys. 

 

For this project, Street Plans conducted a national, interview-based research study to uncover detailed information about existing and developing models of public space stewardship. Research on each case study focused on methods for addressing the three key elements of public space management: activation/programming, revenue/ financing, and maintenance. The project culminated in the production of a print best practices guide, a series of useful templates for maintenance and management planning, a funding guide, and a dynamic website. 

 

Covering both inspiring and proven precedents, this project provides community leaders and organizations with practical information and ready-to-use tools for funding, programming and maintaining successful public spaces. These resources are intended to help public spaces thrive, community groups grow, and City agencies support them both in ways to benefit residents, business and visitors alike. 

 

Together with SF Planning, Street Plans was invited to present content from this research project at the 2016 Pro Walk/Pro Bike/Pro Place Conference in Vancouver, BC.