Slow Streets Stewardship

Slow Streets were introduced to SF’s residential streets as a response to the pandemic and a collective need for more public space. As the program moves towards permanence, SF Parks Alliance is committed to providing support for local residents serving as stewards. Our experience working with hundreds of community groups across the city has informed a robust toolkit of resources that will help you plan events, organize neighbors, initiate art projects, and add greening to your Slow Street.

Contact >

SlowStreets@sfparksalliance.org

Ground Murals

In 2023, the SFMTA was granted a Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Asphalt Art Initiative Grant. We’re thrilled to be working with them to utilize this grant to install ground murals along Slow Sanchez Street in 2024! Check back on this page for project updates.

Sidewalk Gardens

In 2021 SF Parks Alliance was awarded a Watershed Stewardship Grant from the Community Challenge Grant program to fund the installation of sidewalk gardens along some of San Francisco’s newly minted slow streets. Between 2022 and 2023, we worked with the Friends of the Urban Forest to install 11 sidewalk gardens on Page St., 10 on Golden Gate Ave., and 9 on Sanchez St. with the help of over 70 volunteers. Go check them out!

Slow Streets Playbook

Our Slow Streets Playbook is a guide to organizing your local Slow Street and creating great public spaces in your own neighborhood!

More than that, it’s an excuse to get outside, connect with your neighbors, and find enjoyable, engaging, and innovative new ways to experience the public spaces in your city.

Fiscal Sponsorship of Slow Streets

In order to keep your Slow Street moving forward, a successful fundraising campaign is critical. SF Parks Alliance provides fiscal sponsorship to a network of community partners whose missions align with that of our organization.

As a fiscal sponsor, SF Parks Alliance enables community groups to receive grants and solicit tax-deductible donations under our 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status. Since most grant-makers fund organizations, fiscal sponsorship helps groups raise money without having to go through the complicated process of starting their own nonprofit.

To learn more, visit our Community Partner Network page and reach out to our Stewardship Team at: partners@sfparksalliance.org.

Reaching Out to City Agencies & Elected Officials

You’ve been working on building support for your Slow Street, and now it’s time to reach out to your supervisor and get them on board.

Below are some tips for interacting with your district supervisor and other elected officials:

Plan ahead. Elected officials are busy, and their time can be hard to come by. That said, their understanding of their constituents’ thoughts and work on initiatives such as Slow Streets is important. Reach out to your supervisor (or their staff) at least a few weeks before you’d like to meet. You can prepare your presentation or key discussion points in the meantime, but first, get the meeting on the books. You can find a directory with their contact information below.

Prepare your materials. We suggest preparing a one-pager that can be used in your meeting. Include a few pictures to provide a visual. The one-pager should outline the what/why/where of your Slow Street and list its respective benefits. We also suggest preparing a list of key points that you’d like to guide your discussion.

Acknowledge whether your Slow Street is facing opposition. Likely, your supervisor already knows, and it’s best not to sweep that some of their constituents may be against a Slow Street under the rug. Come armed with responses and/or solutions to the opposition’s most common arguments. Emphasize that the pros of your Slow Street often outweigh the perceived cons.

Talk numbers. As mentioned, your supervisor may have already heard from your Slow Street’s opposition – but maybe that opposition is simply one neighbor. Talk with your supervisor about the extensive outreach you’ve performed in the community and the coalition of support that you’ve built. Let them know how many people turned up during the last event, or how many followers your Slow Street has garnered on social media. Show them that your Slow Street is supported in the neighborhood and in their district.

Next steps. Your initial meeting should lay the groundwork for an ongoing relationship. Your supervisor might not immediately begin campaigning for Slow Streets, but they will appreciate the effort that you put into making sure they were aware of your outreach, and you should continue providing updates (even if just through email!) as you move forward.

Contact information for your local supervisor can be found here.