Green Benefit District to Wilt Unless Property Owners Opt to Renew

The Dogpatch and Northwest (NW) Potrero Hill Green Benefit District (GBD) was founded in 2015 by residents who wanted more communal spaces in an area previously dominated by industrial uses. Three-quarters of district property owners endorsed the concept, which was approved by the San Francisco Board of Supervisors.

Community and Business Improvement districts are developed to improve neighborhood prosperity, safety, maintenance, and quality-of-life. First established in Ontario, Canada in 1969, the districts were adopted in California in 1989. In 2004 the City and County of San Francisco enacted an ordinance to extend district terms from five to up to 15 years, while lowering the threshold of property owners representing total assessed property value within the district to request formation from 50 to 30 percent. If at least half of district property owners endorse the nonprofit San Francisco Board of Supervisors takes a final vote on approval. 

The GBD is one of 19 benefit districts in San Francisco and the only “green” one. Its primary focus is to transform neglected areas into verdant spaces, enhancing biodiversity, maintaining green infrastructure, and fostering community interaction. In contrast, CBDs prioritize urban cleanliness, safety, and, where possible, boosting the local economy.

Under the GBD residential properties are assessed $0.0951 per square foot (sq ft), typically less than $250 a year. Industrial lands are charged $0.0476 per sq ft; designated greenspaces pay $0.0237 per sq ft. In 2022/2023 the GBD collected $599,550 from assessments and roughly $230,000 in grants and donations.

“Assessment dollars make up about two-thirds to three-fourths of what is brought in, and the remainder are…from community challenger grants, other nonprofits like GreenTrust SF and Avenue Greenlight, and from UCSF and developers in the neighborhood who want to support the work that we do,” mentioned Donovan Lacy, GBD board president. “We’re constantly keeping our eyes out to continue raising funds.” 

In 2023, approximately 87 percent of the GBD’s assessment funding originated from Dogpatch (designated as “Zone 1”), while 13 percent was collected from Northwest Potrero Hill (“Zone 2”). Accordingly, of the 15 board of director seats, 80 percent are occupied by Dogpatch property owners and tenants, with the remaining set aside for NW Potrero Hill residents. Although only property owners—responsible for paying assessments—can vote in board elections and charter renewals, five seats are reserved for non-property-owning members. 

One seat is designated for a green space advocate who may reside outside the district but has relevant expertise, such as landscape architecture, gardening, or hydrology. The spot is presently occupied by Terri McFarland, a landscape architect based in Dogpatch. Board members serve two-year terms, with a maximum of two consecutive terms. 

The GBD is overseeing completion of several large projects this year, including renovation of the “20th Street Flyover” at the intersection of 20th and Minnesota streets. Once an unsanctioned parking lot, the Flyover will feature vegetation and an outdoor “living room” with shaded areas for lounging, neighborhood gatherings, and social events. Designed by Fletcher Studio and supported by a $150,000 in-kind donation from Quick Crete Productions Corporation, a concrete manufacturer, GBD plans to open the Flyover this month.

Another significant project is the Vermont Greenway, which secured a $150,000 Community Challenge Grant to rejuvenate the 400 block of Vermont Street near the Mariposa Street highway exit. The scheme’s centerpiece is the “Eco-Patch,” a 1,000-square-foot garden showcasing native species. The Greenway is part of the broader Potrero Gateway Project, an initiative led by San Francisco Public Works, which aims to revitalize neglected spaces along U.S. 101 between San Bruno, Vermont, 17th, and Mariposa streets, with benches, lighting, and other amenities. 

Assuming it’s extended, the GBD will maintain the Greenway after it’s completed. With two volunteer workdays planned for February and March, the space will officially open by April.

“Once we tear down the fences and create that green space, it’s not enough to just create that space, for years to come we have to continue to maintain them,” emphasized Lacy.

The GBD’s original charter will expire this June, after a decade of operation. To continue for another 15 years the district must collect petitions from property owners representing at least 30 percent of assessed property value. If the required petitions are secured, an election will take place in early spring, allowing district property owners to vote on charter extension, with increased sq ft assessment fees of $0.11396 for residential properties, $0.0568 for industrial lands, $0.0284 from green spaces, and $0.0142 from limited access parcels.

Lacy declined to provide exact numbers on the percentage of petitions the district has received so far.

“The percentage is changing daily, especially since folks are getting back from holiday,” he said. “There is still time to submit petitions…If GBD doesn’t succeed in the renewal then we cannot continue, and our open spaces in Dogpatch and NW Potrero Hill will not be maintained or improved to the standard that our community has grown accustomed to. We have an agreement with the Department of Public Works that they will provide baseline services in the neighborhood, but we provide services well beyond what the City provides.  We also do gardening, maintenance, and trash pickup. Renewing the charter allows us to have stable funding while we continue to apply for other grants to maintain our projects.”