Committee backs sidewalk plaques to honor three cultural districts on Sixth Street

On Oct. 16 the Land Use and Transportation Committee voted to send three companion resolutions to the full Board that would authorize the installation of commemorative sidewalk plaques along Sixth Street between Market and Howard streets.

Arun Bhatia, project manager with San Francisco Public Works, said the plaques are part of the Sixth Street pedestrian‑safety streetscape project, which includes upgraded sewers, new paving, lighting and signals. He said the original contract was "just north of $10,000,000," that the notice to proceed began in January 2022, and that the project is expected to complete in May 2024. The plaque scope envisions 18 bronze plaques (two‑by‑two feet) — three plaques per block across six blocks — honoring the Lodging House Historic District, the SoMa Filipinas/Filipino Cultural Heritage District, and Compton’s Transgender Cultural District.

Bhatia presented examples of plaque imagery and described siting: plaques will be installed in the furnishing zone (outside the pedestrian path), set within banded concrete, and treated with a slip‑resistant finish for safety. He said project sponsors include SFMTA, SFCTA and Public Works and that plaque installation is expected to proceed in early 2024 following approval of the resolutions.

Advocates from the Transgender District and SoMa Filipinas told the committee the plaques would provide long‑overdue permanent public recognition of local contributions and history. Carlo Gomez Santiago (Transgender District) noted the district’s founding and the importance of honoring trailblazers such as Marsha P. Johnson and Wilmer "Little Axe" Broadnax. Raquel Redondius (SoMa Filipinas) described the plaque as the community’s first permanent public marker in that corridor.

Vice Chair Dean Preston thanked advocates, asked to be added as a cosponsor, and the committee voted to forward the items with a positive recommendation to the Board.