Tile/Painted Staircase

• Typically, stairways appropriate for this type of project are on property belonging to the Department of Public Works. Other times, the property is owned by SF Rec & Park, SF Unified School District, or private property.
• Sometimes these staircases need some extra work and repair before any tiles can be placed. The property owner can take this on, or it may need to be incorporated into the larger project.
• Providing a detailed plan of the final project will help expedite the approval process through the property owner

All land in San Francisco is owned by somebody. To alter a space, even as small as a median, requires someone’s permission. Land in the City is an aggregate of multiple owners at the federal, state, and local level. Understanding who owns the site you’d like to see improved will direct the steps you’ll take to turn your vision into a reality.

Start with the Office of the Assessor’s Recorder Property Search map tool. It’s a comprehensive, online map database listing detailed parcel information, such as property owner name. You can research the database by address, parcel number, or simply clicking on the map.

The SF Property Information Map map does NOT list private property owner details, such as property owner mailing address. To obtain this information, you’ll need to make an online request to the Assessor’s Office via their Data Request form. Note that it may be a corporation, LLC, etc., rather than an actual person.

Find out if there’s already plans for the site by contacting the property owner for the site from the information you obtained in the Assessor’s property search tool. You’ll need to know this information up front to avoid the pitfall of wanting to improve a site already scheduled for activity, such as a new private housing development or plans by the City to renovate the site with new plantings and benches.