About the Green Benefit District

OUR VISION

Nurturing community through urban greening.

OUR MISSION

Using the power of local funding and governance, advocacy and volunteerism to create and care for green, resilient and vibrant urban spaces.

OUR HISTORY

The GBD was created by Dogpatch and Potrero Hill neighbors to better focus the power and resources of City government through a local lens - the awareness and insights of neighborhood residents and business owners. There are currently 18 benefit districts across San Francisco, mostly in commercial districts like Union Square and Fisherman’s Wharf. The Dogpatch & NW Potrero Hill Green Benefit District is the first to focus primarily on parks, greening and public realm improvements in a residential neighborhood.

The GBD augments baseline City services like sidewalk cleaning, graffiti abatement and trash removal. We maintain, improve and expand community-created public green spaces and aid in maintenance of and improvements to Esprit Park (the district’s sole Recreation & Parks Department-owned public park) and the Woods Yard play area (the district’s only children’s playground). The GBD adds street trees and sidewalk gardens and advocates for pedestrian and bicycle routes and other streetscape improvements. We advocate for the needs of the district with a wide variety of City and State agencies, with charitable organizations and private companies and individuals. We encourage and support neighborhood volunteerism to further enhance our public realm. The GBD helps ensure that the needs of our district are being considered, addressed and funded.