Recreation and Park Department seeks $3.9M state grant to renovate Buchanan Mall; committee recommends approval

The Recreation and Park Department told the Budget and Finance Committee on Nov. 15 it has been awarded a $3.9 million grant from the California Department of Parks and Recreation to renovate two of five blocks of Buchanan Mall in the Western Addition.

Toni Moran, presenting for Recreation and Park, described Buchanan Mall as a five‑block pedestrian mall surrounded by subsidized and senior housing—including roughly 394 households on site—and noted upgrades have been incremental. The awarded Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership grant will fund improvements on two blocks; acceptance requires the city to record a declaration of restriction preserving the parcels as public outdoor recreation space in perpetuity.

BLA analysis: The Budget and Legislative Analyst noted the state grant requires a 1:1 local match. The report said the match will be met through a combination of SFPUC green‑infrastructure grants, development impact fees, and a separate state grant already identified in the department’s funding plan.

Committee action: With no public speakers, the committee voted 3–0 to forward the resolution to the full Board with a positive recommendation.

Next steps: If the Board approves, Recreation and Park will execute the state grant contract and file the deed restriction as required by the grant.