California Construction News staff writer
San Francisco’s $14.6 billion for FY 2023-24 and $14.6 billion for FY 2024-25 will focus on clean streets, restoring the downtown and combatting homelessness.
However, due the uncertain economic future, council voted to keep the capital budget at a reduced level compared to the ten-year capital plan, and significantly lower than before the pandemic. Capital spending will focus on critical maintenance projects and include roof replacements, HVAC systems, and elevators, repairing potholes and sidewalks, repairs and maintenance across the park system, and ADA needs.
Mayor London Breed says the budget builds on strategic plans to create a clean and safe, drive the city’s economic recovery, confront the fentanyl crisis “and ensure people have a safe and affordable place to call home.”
There will be funding for key programs to help fill empty storefronts, including investments in the Powell Street corridor and the new vacant to vibrant program, which matches pop-up activations with property owners. It continues support for Downtown activations to bring more people Downtown for arts and culture and invests in neighborhood commercial corridor improvements and activations, with and a targeted program in the Mission.
To tackle homelessness, council approved an investment in implementing the City’s Five Year Strategic Homeless Plan, Home By the Bay, which set a goal of cutting unsheltered homelessness in half over the next five years.
The Budget invests in advancing the city’s Climate Action Plan, with a goal of being a net-zero emission city by 2040. The budget funds operations in the Department of the Environment to coordinate and execute on the plan, as well as significant investments in city departments to meet San Francisco’s climate goals.
