House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced on March 9, 2024, that $12 million in federal funding had been secured for San Francisco community initiatives. The funding will go to 14 different community projects and organizations for 2024, centered around community development, housing, transportation, and public space improvement.
“Whether it’s addressing hunger and homelessness, expanding access to vital health care services, or honoring our veterans, it was my privilege to secure funding for these projects that will meet the needs of San Franciscans, grow San Francisco’s economy, and keep our communities safe,” said Speaker Nancy Pelosi in a press release.
The federal funding comes from San Francisco’s ongoing efforts to improve community life and revitalize the downtown area.
What is the federal funding going towards?
Some key causes the money is going towards include housing, homelessness, and transportation. $1 million is going towards Salesforce Transit Center, $850,000 towards modernizing the 16 Street Mission BART elevator, and $500,000 for electric shuttle buses for UCSF.
The largest amount of funding will go towards the Homeless Prenatal Program, which will receive $1,416,279. The family resource center serves thousands of low-income and homeless families. $1.25 million is going towards the San Francisco Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing for Brave Buttons: Overdose Prevention. The Tenderloin Neighborhood Development Corporation is also receiving $1 million to help energy efficiency in affordable housing, which comes as good timing, due to PG&E’s recent rate increases.
Funds will also go towards organizations centered around community development and social services, like the Yerba Buena Gardens Conservancy, Harvey Milk Plaza, Crane Cove YMCA, and the Centro del Pueblo Restoration Project.
“Thank you, Speaker Emerita Pelosi, for supporting the redesign of Harvey Milk Plaza at the Castro Muni Station,” stated San Francisco Mayor London Breed in response to the funding news. “This project will help make necessary accessibility improvements while creating a beautiful community gathering space that teaches and preserves the legacy of Harvey Milk and our LGBTQ community.”
Other organizations receiving funding include Zuckerberg SF General Hospital, Glide Foundation, Southeast Asian Development Center, and AsianWeek Foundation.