In March the Dogpatch & Northwest Potrero Hill Green Benefit District (GBD) issued 1,400 ballots to property owners who contributed taxes to the district. Just one hundred were returned, less than 10 percent.
GBD announces its elections on social media, posts letters to residents within its borders, and sends a mailer that offers background on the candidates.
Those who participated endorsed an uncontested board of directors’ slate, consisting of Patrice Martin, Dogpatch property owner, Seat 5; Sean Harris, Dogpatch property owner, Seat 6; Richard Romero, Dogpatch tenant, Seat 9; Andie Zhao, greenspace advocate, Seat 13, and Shawn Troedson, Dogpatch property owner, Seat 14. Board members are uncompensated for their service.
Harris, elected to the seat vacated by Donovan Lacy, who now serves as GBD’s executive director, is also on Dogpatch Hub’s board.
“Serving on that board prepared me a bit to serve on the GBD board. As the board’s newest member, I look forward to listening to residents more than pushing and helping to create parks that feel welcome year-round,” said Harris.
“We’ve had overwhelmingly positive feedback on renewal and the expansion of the GBD’s territory,” said Lacy, who characterized the new board as “Dogpatch-heavy. Our board has a lot of parents with young children. In November 2025, we became the fiscal sponsor for Tunnel Top Park, which is stewarded by Bonnie Bergeron and her husband Dennis Montalto. By taking on this role, we were able to help the Tunnel Top volunteers recoup a significant amount of the funds lost when the San Francisco Park Alliance shut down. We’ve already started working directly with residents there. One change we’ve made is to install a bench at that corner, near the bus stop,” adding that janitorial services have been deployed to ensurethe area remains clean.
The GBD is presently examining what projects to engage in next year, the outcome of which will be influenced by any changes to municipal budget expenditures related to parks and open spaces.
“If there are projects people are interested in, this is the time to reach out to your representatives and let them know what you want to accomplish,” said Lacy.
The GBD plans to cultivate additional plantings on 22nd and 25th streets and create a native learning garden on Minnesota Street where that road dead-ends at 22nd Street. It also hopes to add public art projects, like those at Potrero Gateway Park, in collaboration with the San Francisco Public Works Department and California Department of Transportation.
“We’ve gotten really positive feedback about the art there. Keeping it requires maintenance, namely removing tags by graffiti artists. But installing public art, in particular murals, reduces tagging overall,” said Lacy.
With neighborhood support, the GBD is painting safety zones on the corners of Minnesota and 19th streets as part of the Minnesota Street Slow Street project between Mariposa and 22nd streets. It’s considering installing a permanent mural or mosaic on pillars at the Minnesota Street Flyover, an underpass beneath 20th Street. In 2025, GBD collaborated with Fletcher Studio, Futureforms, and QCP Corporation to fit a temporary art piece of multicolored pentagonal designs on one of the Flyover’s freeway pillars. The collaboration resulted in additional plants and red chairs at the location.
The GBD is also considering installing a permanent mural or mosaic on pillars at the 22nd Street Muni/Caltrain station. It’s the fiscal sponsor for the 22nd Street Staircase, led by Friends of the Potrero Hill Recreation Center, being built next to the Potrero Hill Recreation Center.
Labor and gardening materials costs have been steadily rising, putting pressure on GBD’s budget. GBD relies on locally made mulch and compost rather than fertilizer.
“We work closely with our service providers each year to negotiate contracts that reflect current market conditions while maintaining a high level of service. In alignment with our management plan, we’ve implemented modest assessment increases to help offset these changes. In addition, we actively seek donations and supplemental funding to ensure we can continue delivering projects and maintaining the district without compromising quality or scope,” said Eslick.
Serving on the GBD board for the last three years has taught Troedson a great deal about the way the City runs.
“There are so many different agencies to coordinate with in Dogpatch and Potrero Hill, such as Caltrans, Caltrain, and the Port of San Francisco. The cooperation and support of these agencies are essential to the southeastern neighborhoods,” said Troedson.
She encouraged residents to attend the Dogpatch Music Series this summer and participate in GBD’s weeding and planting days.
“The more new faces getting involved in the community, the better,” said Troedson.
Mark Steensland 
Jesse Dee 