In light of the significant challenges facing downtown San Francisco and its vital importance to the city’s economic health, SPUR examined the need for a downtown revitalization entity with greater authority to plan and deliver capital projects, negotiate real estate deals, and provide public financing. Instead of scattering responsibility and authority for downtown revitalization across multiple departments, the proposed authority would pursue a comprehensive approach that treats downtown as a whole district rather than delivering projects piecemeal.
This brief lays out the intended structure and responsibilities of a new downtown authority and recommends the next steps for forming it, including investigating the legal framework, securing state and local approvals, and developing an investment plan for allocating resources in accordance with community priorities.
By creating a dedicated downtown authority, San Francisco can streamline decision-making for revitalization, such as facilitating real estate and public realm projects, assisting small businesses, attracting new employers, and financing workforce housing. This new approach would enable the city to take the bold steps needed to reinvent downtown. A prosperous downtown that offers jobs, housing, and arts and entertainment is critical to the city as a whole, given downtown’s importance in generating revenue to provide services across all of San Francisco’s neighborhoods.