Scott Wiener

When I think about downtown San Francisco, I think about <a href="https://monacaron.com/narrative-murals/market-street-railway-mural">a mural on the corner of 15th &amp; Church</a> streets. Painted 20 years ago by the San Francisco-based artist Mona Caron, it shows the evolution of San Francisco’s rich urban fabric through a series of historic panels starting in the 1920s.&nbsp;

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When I think about downtown San Francisco, I think about <a href="https://monacaron.com/narrative-murals/market-street-railway-mural">a mural on the corner of 15th &amp; Church</a> streets. Painted 20 years ago by the San Francisco-based artist Mona Caron, it shows the evolution of San Francisco’s rich urban fabric through a series of historic panels starting in the 1920s.&nbsp;

Like turning the pages in a book, walking past the panels shows our sidewalks balloon with people and then empty as activist demonstrations, celebrations and the daily rituals of city life come and go. The streets throng with streetcars and bicycles, then shift to car traffic. The buildings swell in size as small businesses mix with large corporations, office space and a lone apartment building.

Like turning the pages in a book, walking past the panels shows our sidewalks balloon with people and then empty as activist demonstrations, celebrations and the daily rituals of city life come and go. The streets throng with streetcars and bicycles, then shift to car traffic. The buildings swell in size as small businesses mix with large corporations, office space and a lone apartment building.

This mural reminds me that massive changes have rocked this city before, and we’ve always pulled through, thanks to San Franciscans’ willingness to think big and our powerful civic engagement.&nbsp;

This mural reminds me that massive changes have rocked this city before, and we’ve always pulled through, thanks to San Franciscans’ willingness to think big and our powerful civic engagement.&nbsp;

We need to turn the page once again. Our downtown faces very real challenges, with formidable <a href="https://mktgdocs.cbre.com/2299/5aff0a7c-2473-4703-8c06-6f11df4011de-524035556.pdf">office vacancy rates</a> and <a href="https://downtownrecovery.com/charts/rankings">foot traffic</a> struggling to return to pre-pandemic levels, as it has in some other California cities.&nbsp;

We need to turn the page once again. Our downtown faces very real challenges, with formidable <a href="https://mktgdocs.cbre.com/2299/5aff0a7c-2473-4703-8c06-6f11df4011de-524035556.pdf">office vacancy rates</a> and <a href="https://downtownrecovery.com/charts/rankings">foot traffic</a> struggling to return to pre-pandemic levels, as it has in some other California cities.&nbsp;

To revitalize downtown San Francisco, we need to transform it from a place where people work to a place where people live, work, hang out and entertain themselves. That transformation will take a massive effort from businesses, policymakers and civil society, but I believe it must happen in order to secure our future as a vibrant and thriving metropolis.

To revitalize downtown San Francisco, we need to transform it from a place where people work to a place where people live, work, hang out and entertain themselves. That transformation will take a massive effort from businesses, policymakers and civil society, but I believe it must happen in order to secure our future as a vibrant and thriving metropolis.

I have a set of proposals to accelerate this change.&nbsp;

I have a set of proposals to accelerate this change.&nbsp;

One fundamental challenge with downtown is that it’s nearly all office and commercial space. When remote work became common during the pandemic and the shift toward online shopping accelerated, many people’s reasons for venturing downtown evaporated. Our struggles with homelessness, addiction and mental health became much more visible with the reduced foot traffic.

One fundamental challenge with downtown is that it’s nearly all office and commercial space. When remote work became common during the pandemic and the shift toward online shopping accelerated, many people’s reasons for venturing downtown evaporated. Our struggles with homelessness, addiction and mental health became much more visible with the reduced foot traffic.

Downtown activity is on the rise thanks to the work of Mayor London Breed and many others, but the challenges of remote work and online retail remain. Poor market conditions and San Francisco’s famous <a href="https://reason.com/2023/10/26/damning-new-audit-finds-san-francisco-takes-3-years-to-approve-new-housing/">obsession with endless process</a> are holding up the changes we need. We must create a more balanced mix of offerings—such as housing, colleges and entertainment venues—in our downtown, including by remodeling and potentially removing empty, outdated buildings and converting them to exciting new uses.

Downtown activity is on the rise thanks to the work of Mayor London Breed and many others, but the challenges of remote work and online retail remain. Poor market conditions and San Francisco’s famous <a href="https://reason.com/2023/10/26/damning-new-audit-finds-san-francisco-takes-3-years-to-approve-new-housing/">obsession with endless process</a> are holding up the changes we need. We must create a more balanced mix of offerings—such as housing, colleges and entertainment venues—in our downtown, including by remodeling and potentially removing empty, outdated buildings and converting them to exciting new uses.

On Friday, I <a href="https://sd11.senate.ca.gov/news/20240216-senator-wiener-introduces-bill-revitalize-downtown-san-francisco">announced SB 1227</a> to tackle this problem. The bill provides targeted regulatory and tax relief in downtown San Francisco for a period of 10 years. Most remodels and conversions would have years cut off their approval time through an exemption from the California Environmental Quality Act, an infamous state law that allows anyone, anywhere, to mire new projects in years of litigation and review, even if the project reduces carbon emissions by decreasing driving. The bill also expands an existing tax exemption for affordable housing to make it available to more middle-class families.

On Friday, I <a href="https://sd11.senate.ca.gov/news/20240216-senator-wiener-introduces-bill-revitalize-downtown-san-francisco">announced SB 1227</a> to tackle this problem. The bill provides targeted regulatory and tax relief in downtown San Francisco for a period of 10 years. Most remodels and conversions would have years cut off their approval time through an exemption from the California Environmental Quality Act, an infamous state law that allows anyone, anywhere, to mire new projects in years of litigation and review, even if the project reduces carbon emissions by decreasing driving. The bill also expands an existing tax exemption for affordable housing to make it available to more middle-class families.

Bringing more housing downtown is critical to revitalizing the area. SB 1227 would make it easier to bring housing to this stretch of the city, including desperately needed student housing, by building on <a href="https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2023-09-11/california-housing-construction-crisis-shortage-affordable-yimby-scott-wiener">recent state housing laws</a> to accelerate housing creation.

Bringing more housing downtown is critical to revitalizing the area. SB 1227 would make it easier to bring housing to this stretch of the city, including desperately needed student housing, by building on <a href="https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2023-09-11/california-housing-construction-crisis-shortage-affordable-yimby-scott-wiener">recent state housing laws</a> to accelerate housing creation.

Cities require more than housing to come alive. SB 1227 enables us to build the new attractions we need to transform downtown. Universities like UC Berkeley could convert empty office buildings into classrooms and student housing. Empty retail windows could become new cafes or entertainment venues. The <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2024/02/02/westfield-downtown-san-francisco-centre-mall-empty-dead/">former Westfield mall</a> could be quickly transformed into a soccer stadium, a pickleball court or whatever other creative use San Franciscans find for it.

‘A ghost town’: How downtown San Francisco mall became a shadow of its former self

Cities require more than housing to come alive. SB 1227 enables us to build the new attractions we need to transform downtown. Universities like UC Berkeley could convert empty office buildings into classrooms and student housing. Empty retail windows could become new cafes or entertainment venues. The <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2024/02/02/westfield-downtown-san-francisco-centre-mall-empty-dead/">former Westfield mall</a> could be quickly transformed into a soccer stadium, a pickleball court or whatever other creative use San Franciscans find for it.

We can also draw people downtown by thinking creatively about how we’re using existing public spaces. One idea I’m championing is <a href="https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2024-01-31/sip-sip-hooray-new-bill-would-allow-for-drinking-on-public-streets-in-designated-areas">entertainment zones</a>—designated outdoor areas where bars and restaurants can sell drinks outside, as they do in Paris or New Orleans. Residents and tourists could enjoy a drink and food outside in areas like Front Street, near the Embarcadero, drawing people downtown and breathing life into our streets in the process.

We can also draw people downtown by thinking creatively about how we’re using existing public spaces. One idea I’m championing is <a href="https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2024-01-31/sip-sip-hooray-new-bill-would-allow-for-drinking-on-public-streets-in-designated-areas">entertainment zones</a>—designated outdoor areas where bars and restaurants can sell drinks outside, as they do in Paris or New Orleans. Residents and tourists could enjoy a drink and food outside in areas like Front Street, near the Embarcadero, drawing people downtown and breathing life into our streets in the process.

And of course, our downtown needs public transportation to succeed. People need an easy, reliable way to get around San Francisco—and to and from the city—if they’re going to venture out. San Francisco is simply too dense for everyone to ride in cars. Public transportation is struggling right now, but last year, a coalition I helped lead was able to secure state funding to prevent major service cuts, and we will soon announce a new effort to sustainably fund and modernize public transit in the San Francisco Bay Area for decades to come.

And of course, our downtown needs public transportation to succeed. People need an easy, reliable way to get around San Francisco—and to and from the city—if they’re going to venture out. San Francisco is simply too dense for everyone to ride in cars. Public transportation is struggling right now, but last year, a coalition I helped lead was able to secure state funding to prevent major service cuts, and we will soon announce a new effort to sustainably fund and modernize public transit in the San Francisco Bay Area for decades to come.

For examples of cities weathering hard times and coming out stronger, we can look to New York City. When middle-class families fled to the suburbs in the 1980s, New York invested in its public transportation network, drawing the lost residents back and more within a single generation. When the 9/11 attacks turned Lower Manhattan into a ghost town, New York responded by bringing a combination of housing, entertainment and nightlife to the office-heavy district. Because of that diversity, Lower Manhattan is today among New York’s most vibrant neighborhoods.

For examples of cities weathering hard times and coming out stronger, we can look to New York City. When middle-class families fled to the suburbs in the 1980s, New York invested in its public transportation network, drawing the lost residents back and more within a single generation. When the 9/11 attacks turned Lower Manhattan into a ghost town, New York responded by bringing a combination of housing, entertainment and nightlife to the office-heavy district. Because of that diversity, Lower Manhattan is today among New York’s most vibrant neighborhoods.

Thinking about San Francisco’s downtown, my mind goes back to the final panel of Mona Caron’s mural, which shows a utopian future San Francisco has not yet attained. The work we need to do will take years, and it will require that San Franciscans from all corners engage in making our city better.

Thinking about San Francisco’s downtown, my mind goes back to the final panel of Mona Caron’s mural, which shows a utopian future San Francisco has not yet attained. The work we need to do will take years, and it will require that San Franciscans from all corners engage in making our city better.

Sen. Scott Wiener has represented San Francisco and northern San Mateo County in the California Senate since 2016. A former San Francisco Supervisor, his legislative work has focused on housing, climate, transportation and other core urban issues.

Sen. Scott Wiener has represented San Francisco and northern San Mateo County in the California Senate since 2016. A former San Francisco Supervisor, his legislative work has focused on housing, climate, transportation and other core urban issues.

Stay awhile. Sen. Scott Wiener wants to bring fun back to downtown San Francisco

Opinion: Stay awhile. Sen. Scott Wiener wants to bring fun back to downtown San Francisco

Kevin V. Nguyen

When San Francisco was mired in “doom loop” talk last year, Mayor London Breed and some business leaders began openly <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2023/07/18/san-francisco-mayor-asks-university-of-california-to-explore-downtown-campus/">calling for college students</a> to <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2023/04/10/sf-doom-loop-convert-downtown-offices-student-housing-uc-berkeley/">save downtown</a>. Young adults, the thinking goes, would populate struggling areas, reinvigorate the economy and help transform downtown from a 9-to-5 office community to a 24/7 arts and culture destination.&nbsp;

San Francisco mayor asks University of California to explore downtown campus

Breaking the SF doom loop: Convert downtown offices into student housing

When San Francisco was mired in “doom loop” talk last year, Mayor London Breed and some business leaders began openly <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2023/07/18/san-francisco-mayor-asks-university-of-california-to-explore-downtown-campus/">calling for college students</a> to <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2023/04/10/sf-doom-loop-convert-downtown-offices-student-housing-uc-berkeley/">save downtown</a>. Young adults, the thinking goes, would populate struggling areas, reinvigorate the economy and help transform downtown from a 9-to-5 office community to a 24/7 arts and culture destination.&nbsp;

Just one block away from the <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2023/10/27/san-francisco-drug-crisis-worst-corner-un-plaza-sfpd-enforcement/">worst drug corner in the city</a>, the University of California College of the Law SF is putting that theory to the test.&nbsp;

24 hours at SF&#8217;s worst drug corner: The city&#8217;s struggle to control Seventh and Market

Just one block away from the <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2023/10/27/san-francisco-drug-crisis-worst-corner-un-plaza-sfpd-enforcement/">worst drug corner in the city</a>, the University of California College of the Law SF is putting that theory to the test.&nbsp;

In August, the school opened <a href="https://academe198sf.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Academe at 198</a>, a 14-story, 650-unit apartment building at 198 McAllister St. in the Tenderloin neighborhood. Units in the complex are available not only to UC Law students but also to enrollees at UCSF, UC Berkeley, UC Davis, University of San Francisco and San Francisco State University, among other schools.

In August, the school opened <a href="https://academe198sf.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Academe at 198</a>, a 14-story, 650-unit apartment building at 198 McAllister St. in the Tenderloin neighborhood. Units in the complex are available not only to UC Law students but also to enrollees at UCSF, UC Berkeley, UC Davis, University of San Francisco and San Francisco State University, among other schools.

The building is a critical element of the university’s multimillion-dollar plan to reshape the neighborhood that it calls home—and that is the epicenter of the city’s homelessness and drug crises. It’s been nearly four years since the law school, alongside local residents, sued the city, <a href="https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/Lawsuit-San-Francisco-needs-to-clean-up-the-15245770.php" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">accusing it of abandoning the neighborhood</a> to growing homelessness and criminal activity.

The building is a critical element of the university’s multimillion-dollar plan to reshape the neighborhood that it calls home—and that is the epicenter of the city’s homelessness and drug crises. It’s been nearly four years since the law school, alongside local residents, sued the city, <a href="https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/Lawsuit-San-Francisco-needs-to-clean-up-the-15245770.php" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">accusing it of abandoning the neighborhood</a> to growing homelessness and criminal activity.

Cameryn Chan was among the first tenants, leasing a 232-square-foot “efficiency” studio for $2,200 a month, despite what concerned family and friends told her about the area.

Cameryn Chan was among the first tenants, leasing a 232-square-foot “efficiency” studio for $2,200 a month, despite what concerned family and friends told her about the area.

The study area in one of the living spaces at the UC Law (The University of California College of the Law), formerly Hastings, new student housing complex at 198 McAllister Street in the Tenderloin neighborhood in San Francisco on Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024. The 1,000-unit student housing complex opened in the Tenderloin last year and was hailed as a "beacon of change" for the neighborhood.

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/20240216-uclawtenderloincampus-62.jpg?w=2500" alt="A tidy study desk with a lamp, books, a plant, a bottle, and a pen holder." class="wp-image-252194"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Every new apartment inside Academe at 198 comes fully furnished with floor plans ranging between 232 and 568 square feet. But only a third of the new units are set aside for law students and faculty. </figcaption></figure>

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<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/20240216-uclawtenderloincampus-62.jpg?w=2500" alt="A tidy study desk with a lamp, books, a plant, a bottle, and a pen holder." class="wp-image-252194"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Every new apartment inside Academe at 198 comes fully furnished with floor plans ranging between 232 and 568 square feet. But only a third of the new units are set aside for law students and faculty. </figcaption></figure>

“It was a little chaotic at first when the staff were still working out the kinks,” Chan said, sitting with two friends at the building’s seventh-floor lookout, with City Hall’s beaux-arts rotunda in the background. “But I gotta admit, it’s a nice place to lock in as a student.”&nbsp;

“It was a little chaotic at first when the staff were still working out the kinks,” Chan said, sitting with two friends at the building’s seventh-floor lookout, with City Hall’s beaux-arts rotunda in the background. “But I gotta admit, it’s a nice place to lock in as a student.”&nbsp;

Academe at 198 is part of a wider plan that aims to bring thousands of students from multiple universities together in what UC Law calls an “Academic Village”—an area not just for housing, but for gathering, collaborating and fun, too.&nbsp;

Academe at 198 is part of a wider plan that aims to bring thousands of students from multiple universities together in what UC Law calls an “Academic Village”—an area not just for housing, but for gathering, collaborating and fun, too.&nbsp;

The project kicked off in 2020 with the construction of the academic facility Cotchett Law Center on the site of a former parking lot on 333 Golden Gate Ave. Amid the pandemic, when <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2023/12/22/san-francisco-record-low-housing-permits-despite-shortage/">residential development started to chill</a> across the Bay Area due to financing and construction challenges, Academe at 198 was the rare project to rise.

Despite crisis, San Francisco housing permits fall to 13-year low

The project kicked off in 2020 with the construction of the academic facility Cotchett Law Center on the site of a former parking lot on 333 Golden Gate Ave. Amid the pandemic, when <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2023/12/22/san-francisco-record-low-housing-permits-despite-shortage/">residential development started to chill</a> across the Bay Area due to financing and construction challenges, Academe at 198 was the rare project to rise.

Its completion opens the door for the impending renovation of an even larger building, the 100 McAllister tower, a century-old skyscraper that has 28 floors. Between the two towers, the project will bring the total number of housing units to nearly 730, with beds for more than 1,000 students. The target completion date is 2028.&nbsp;

Its completion opens the door for the impending renovation of an even larger building, the 100 McAllister tower, a century-old skyscraper that has 28 floors. Between the two towers, the project will bring the total number of housing units to nearly 730, with beds for more than 1,000 students. The target completion date is 2028.&nbsp;

Communal space on the lower level of the UC Law (The University of California College of the Law), formerly Hastings, new student housing complex at 198 McAllister Street in the Tenderloin neighborhood in San Francisco on Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024. The 1,000-unit student housing complex opened in the Tenderloin last year and was hailed as a "beacon of change" for the neighborhood.

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/20240216-uclawtenderloincampus-20.jpg?w=2500" alt="A modern office lounge with sofas, tables, people chatting, and a bright, airy design." class="wp-image-252188"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Inside the new Academe at 198, natural light and amenities are in abundance. The 14-story building has apartments, classrooms and gathering areas all under one roof.</figcaption></figure>

So far, Academe at 198 is only 60% full. Whether it and the other buildings will fill up—and help transform the neighborhood—remains to be seen.&nbsp;

So far, Academe at 198 is only 60% full. Whether it and the other buildings will fill up—and help transform the neighborhood—remains to be seen.&nbsp;

Chan said she hasn’t feared for her safety since moving in. Instead of eating out, Chan said she regularly walks to Nob Hill or up Polk Street to shop for groceries.&nbsp;

Chan said she hasn’t feared for her safety since moving in. Instead of eating out, Chan said she regularly walks to Nob Hill or up Polk Street to shop for groceries.&nbsp;

“The neighborhood is not as bad as it’s made out to be,” Chan said. “But I am cautious going out at night, which, to be fair, would be the case anywhere.”&nbsp;

“The neighborhood is not as bad as it’s made out to be,” Chan said. “But I am cautious going out at night, which, to be fair, would be the case anywhere.”&nbsp;

<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-from-theory-to-practice">From theory to practice</h2>

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<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-from-theory-to-practice">From theory to practice</h2>

The key to getting the Academic Village over the finish line is the concept that it will be shared by multiple universities.

The key to getting the Academic Village over the finish line is the concept that it will be shared by multiple universities.

“Had this been only for the law school, we would have met much more skepticism trying to finance this project,” David Seward, chief financial officer of the university, told The Standard. To pay for Academe at 198, UC Law SF secured $364 million in tax-exempt bond financing.&nbsp;

“Had this been only for the law school, we would have met much more skepticism trying to finance this project,” David Seward, chief financial officer of the university, told The Standard. To pay for Academe at 198, UC Law SF secured $364 million in tax-exempt bond financing.&nbsp;

People walk in front of UC Law (The University of California College of the Law), formerly Hastings, which is next to the the new student housing complex at 198 McAllister Street in the Tenderloin neighborhood in San Francisco on Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024. The 1,000-unit student housing complex opened in the Tenderloin last year and was hailed as a "beacon of change" for the neighborhood.

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/inlined_20240216-uclawtenderloincampus-01.jpg?w=2500" alt="A city street corner with a sign &quot;UC LAW SAN FRANCISCO&quot; and some modern buildings in the background." class="wp-image-251976"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The brand new Academe at 198 sits on the site of a former UC Law SF academic building. It is now home to students from multiple schools, including UCSF, UC Davis and UC Berkeley, among others. </figcaption></figure>

The new building includes an underground auditorium available for public use, a tech incubator space called the “Lexlab,” private study and meeting rooms, hangout lounges, laundry facilities and a dog run.&nbsp;

The new building includes an underground auditorium available for public use, a tech incubator space called the “Lexlab,” private study and meeting rooms, hangout lounges, laundry facilities and a dog run.&nbsp;

In totality, the project amounts to a doubling down on the Tenderloin and a bet on the need for a critical mass to prove out the concept of students as downtown’s saviors.

In totality, the project amounts to a doubling down on the Tenderloin and a bet on the need for a critical mass to prove out the concept of students as downtown’s saviors.

“I think knowing who we were building this for inspired the different groups to work effectively together,” said Anders Carpenter, the project’s lead architect from Perkins &amp; Will. “Not sure that same enthusiasm would’ve been there if we were just building luxury condos.”

“I think knowing who we were building this for inspired the different groups to work effectively together,” said Anders Carpenter, the project’s lead architect from Perkins &amp; Will. “Not sure that same enthusiasm would’ve been there if we were just building luxury condos.”

Although the complex is still 40% vacant, UC Law SF Chief Operating Officer Rhiannon Bailard said the school is “very optimistic” about getting to 100% occupancy in the next academic year.

Although the complex is still 40% vacant, UC Law SF Chief Operating Officer Rhiannon Bailard said the school is “very optimistic” about getting to 100% occupancy in the next academic year.

Getting to full occupancy means keeping security top of mind, Bailard said. All residents must swipe in via a card reader at the main security desk on the first floor when entering. Safety ambassadors are available to escort residents anywhere within the campus’ two-block radius between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m.&nbsp;

Getting to full occupancy means keeping security top of mind, Bailard said. All residents must swipe in via a card reader at the main security desk on the first floor when entering. Safety ambassadors are available to escort residents anywhere within the campus’ two-block radius between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m.&nbsp;

Architect Anders Carpenter, stands in the Shanin Specter courtroom at UC Law (The University of California College of the Law), formerly Hastings, new student housing complex at 198 McAllister Street in the Tenderloin neighborhood in San Francisco on Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024. The 1,000-unit student housing complex opened in the Tenderloin last year and was hailed as a "beacon of change" for the neighborhood.

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/20240216-uclawtenderloincampus-22.jpg?w=2500" alt="A man in a blazer stands in an empty, modern lecture hall with rows of seats and desks." class="wp-image-252190"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">UC Law SF had to make difficult spending decisions throughout the development of Academe at 198 but spared no expense in recreating the two mock courtrooms on the first floor, said architect Anders Carpenter. </figcaption></figure>

After UC Law sued the city, the lawsuit was <a href="https://www.sfexaminer.com/archives/uc-hastings-agrees-to-settlement-in-lawsuit-against-sf-over-homeless-tents-in-the-tenderloin/article_ca4c8dec-b197-513d-8ebc-541e963686e1.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">subsequently settled</a> and resulted in the clearing of over 300 tents near the university. Two years later, Breed declared a state of emergency in the Tenderloin, <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2022/07/01/as-emergency-order-ends-tenderloin-residents-fight-to-hold-city-halls-attention/">briefly funneling additional resources</a> to the area.&nbsp;

As emergency order ends, Tenderloin residents fight to hold City Hall&#8217;s attention

After UC Law sued the city, the lawsuit was <a href="https://www.sfexaminer.com/archives/uc-hastings-agrees-to-settlement-in-lawsuit-against-sf-over-homeless-tents-in-the-tenderloin/article_ca4c8dec-b197-513d-8ebc-541e963686e1.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">subsequently settled</a> and resulted in the clearing of over 300 tents near the university. Two years later, Breed declared a state of emergency in the Tenderloin, <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2022/07/01/as-emergency-order-ends-tenderloin-residents-fight-to-hold-city-halls-attention/">briefly funneling additional resources</a> to the area.&nbsp;

Since then, the state of the neighborhood has only worsened, according to David Faigman, chancellor and dean of UC Law SF. Back-to-back shootings took place by the campus last November, prompting Faigman to <a href="https://www.sfchronicle.com/opinion/openforum/article/tenderloin-shooting-uc-law-breed-18520513.php">publish an op-ed</a> calling for another emergency order.&nbsp;

Since then, the state of the neighborhood has only worsened, according to David Faigman, chancellor and dean of UC Law SF. Back-to-back shootings took place by the campus last November, prompting Faigman to <a href="https://www.sfchronicle.com/opinion/openforum/article/tenderloin-shooting-uc-law-breed-18520513.php">publish an op-ed</a> calling for another emergency order.&nbsp;

“We continue to monitor the conditions in the neighborhood very closely,” Bailard told The Standard, adding that the <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2023/11/09/san-francisco-skatepark-opens-un-plaza/">recent reactivation of the U.N. Plaza with a skate park</a> was a welcome sight.

Skaters flock to San Francisco’s new skate park in drug crisis zone

“We continue to monitor the conditions in the neighborhood very closely,” Bailard told The Standard, adding that the <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2023/11/09/san-francisco-skatepark-opens-un-plaza/">recent reactivation of the U.N. Plaza with a skate park</a> was a welcome sight.

Faigman, in his opinion piece, was more direct, decrying “the city’s incapacity to keep the Tenderloin clear of open-air drug dealing and the crime and devastation it brings, including countless deaths from fentanyl overdoses.”

Faigman, in his opinion piece, was more direct, decrying “the city’s incapacity to keep the Tenderloin clear of open-air drug dealing and the crime and devastation it brings, including countless deaths from fentanyl overdoses.”

Individuals congregate in San Francisco's Tenderloin neighborhood in this July 2022 image. A lawsuit Thursday seeks to hold the city accountable over alleged "containment zone" policies.

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/2022_july_04_tenderloin_addiction-5-1.jpg?w=2500" alt="An urban street scene with people gathered, some standing, one seated on the ground, amidst litter and a wheelchair with belongings." class="wp-image-241305"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Frustrations over deteriorating street conditions and increased crime led UC Law SF and a group of Tenderloin residents to sue San Francisco in 2020.</figcaption></figure>

“Present circumstances have raised the horror to a new level,” he added. “The vibrant community of the Tenderloin, like any other city neighborhood, deserves the respect and protection of city leadership.

“Present circumstances have raised the horror to a new level,” he added. “The vibrant community of the Tenderloin, like any other city neighborhood, deserves the respect and protection of city leadership.

“Something drastic must happen before more lives are lost.”

“Something drastic must happen before more lives are lost.”

<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-night-and-day-nbsp">Night and day&nbsp;</h2>

A block away from the university on Larkin Street, Peter Dorrance is the co-owner of Outta Sight Pizza, famous for its affordable yet delicious thin-crust slices.&nbsp;

A block away from the university on Larkin Street, Peter Dorrance is the co-owner of Outta Sight Pizza, famous for its affordable yet delicious thin-crust slices.&nbsp;

When the clock strikes 6 p.m., Dorrance said it can feel like the progress made in recent years to make the Tenderloin safer comes undone.&nbsp;

When the clock strikes 6 p.m., Dorrance said it can feel like the progress made in recent years to make the Tenderloin safer comes undone.&nbsp;

When the sun dips over the horizon, the small army of community ambassadors from nonprofit Urban Alchemy—charged with keeping order during the daytime—clock out. In their stead, drug dealers and black-market vendors start to fill the sidewalks and closed storefronts.&nbsp;

When the sun dips over the horizon, the small army of community ambassadors from nonprofit Urban Alchemy—charged with keeping order during the daytime—clock out. In their stead, drug dealers and black-market vendors start to fill the sidewalks and closed storefronts.&nbsp;

That’s when Outta Sight’s business flips from in-person to mostly delivery, Dorrance said. Those orders have buoyed the business, allowing it to expand from four employees in 2022 to more than 30 today.&nbsp;

That’s when Outta Sight’s business flips from in-person to mostly delivery, Dorrance said. Those orders have buoyed the business, allowing it to expand from four employees in 2022 to more than 30 today.&nbsp;

&#8220;[The students] are good for the neighborhood,&#8221; Dorrance said, adding the school is also a reliable source of catering and happy hour customers.&nbsp;

"[The students] are good for the neighborhood," Dorrance said, adding the school is also a reliable source of catering and happy hour customers.&nbsp;

&#8220;[The students] are good for the neighborhood,&#8221; Dorrance said, adding the school is also a reliable source of catering and happy hour customers.&nbsp;

Members of Urban Alchemy during a meeting in the Tenderloin neighborhood in San Francisco, Calif., Friday, June 2, 2023. The Safe Passage program concluded its school shifts on Friday, but will continue escorting seniors and kids throughout the Tenderloin this summer.

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/tlcbdsafepassage060223_-0414-1.jpg?w=2500" alt="A group of people in vests and jackets stand by a street corner, with traffic lights indicating stop for pedestrians." class="wp-image-242927"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Community ambassadors from organizations such as Urban Alchemy largely keep order on the streets of one of SF&#8217;s most troubled neighborhoods. However, there&#8217;s a literal night and day difference when they clock out. </figcaption></figure>

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/tlcbdsafepassage060223_-0414-1.jpg?w=2500" alt="A group of people in vests and jackets stand by a street corner, with traffic lights indicating stop for pedestrians." class="wp-image-242927"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Community ambassadors from organizations such as Urban Alchemy largely keep order on the streets of one of SF's most troubled neighborhoods. However, there's a literal night and day difference when they clock out. </figcaption></figure>

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/tlcbdsafepassage060223_-0414-1.jpg?w=2500" alt="A group of people in vests and jackets stand by a street corner, with traffic lights indicating stop for pedestrians." class="wp-image-242927"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Community ambassadors from organizations such as Urban Alchemy largely keep order on the streets of one of SF&#8217;s most troubled neighborhoods. However, there&#8217;s a literal night and day difference when they clock out. </figcaption></figure>

Kat Kaew, who opened Thai Curry Restaurant &amp; Bar across the street from 100 McAllister last April, experiences that day-night shift in a different manner. Every day, she works from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and starts her morning by tidying up the sidewalk in front of the restaurant, because it’s usually full of trash from the night before.&nbsp;

Kat Kaew, who opened Thai Curry Restaurant &amp; Bar across the street from 100 McAllister last April, experiences that day-night shift in a different manner. Every day, she works from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and starts her morning by tidying up the sidewalk in front of the restaurant, because it’s usually full of trash from the night before.&nbsp;

The Southern California transplant oversees a large dining room that could easily seat up to 100 guests. Inside, a massive mangrove tree mural and an array of statues and flowers transport guests to the Mekong.&nbsp;

The Southern California transplant oversees a large dining room that could easily seat up to 100 guests. Inside, a massive mangrove tree mural and an array of statues and flowers transport guests to the Mekong.&nbsp;

Daytime business is steady, with law school staff and City Hall workers as regulars, Kaew said. But Thai Curry doesn’t get anywhere near as many delivery orders as Outta Sight, so she needs the evening dinner crowd to grow if the business is going to survive.&nbsp;

Daytime business is steady, with law school staff and City Hall workers as regulars, Kaew said. But Thai Curry doesn’t get anywhere near as many delivery orders as Outta Sight, so she needs the evening dinner crowd to grow if the business is going to survive.&nbsp;

It’s a challenge, though, when workers leave the area after 5 p.m.&nbsp; Unless there are shows at the nearby Orpheum Theatre, dinner business is slow.&nbsp;

It’s a challenge, though, when workers leave the area after 5 p.m.&nbsp; Unless there are shows at the nearby Orpheum Theatre, dinner business is slow.&nbsp;

(From left) UC Law SF students Alexia Beatriz and Emily Montalvo make it a point to visit Kat Kaew's Thai Curry Restaurant & Bar at least once a week since it opened in 2023. Kaew says the pair are like her honorary daughters.

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/img_5782_539f8c.jpg?w=2500" alt="Three happy people are seated at a wooden table in a cozy café with a mural behind them." class="wp-image-252175"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">From left: UC Law SF students Alexia Beatriz and Emily Montalvo make it a point to visit Kat Kaew&#8217;s Thai Curry Restaurant &amp; Bar at least once a week since it opened in 2023.</figcaption></figure>

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/img_5782_539f8c.jpg?w=2500" alt="Three happy people are seated at a wooden table in a cozy café with a mural behind them." class="wp-image-252175"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">From left: UC Law SF students Alexia Beatriz and Emily Montalvo make it a point to visit Kat Kaew's Thai Curry Restaurant &amp; Bar at least once a week since it opened in 2023.</figcaption></figure>

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/img_5782_539f8c.jpg?w=2500" alt="Three happy people are seated at a wooden table in a cozy café with a mural behind them." class="wp-image-252175"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">From left: UC Law SF students Alexia Beatriz and Emily Montalvo make it a point to visit Kat Kaew&#8217;s Thai Curry Restaurant &amp; Bar at least once a week since it opened in 2023.</figcaption></figure>

“We should be doing bigger numbers in a location like this so close to downtown,” Kaew said.

“We should be doing bigger numbers in a location like this so close to downtown,” Kaew said.

Even though students make up less than half of her business, Kaew said she’s grown to love their presence and welcomes the ongoing campus expansion. When third-year law students Alexia Beatriz and Emily Montalvo walked in for their weekly lunch on Thursday, Kaew proudly proclaimed, “They’re like my daughters.”&nbsp;

Even though students make up less than half of her business, Kaew said she’s grown to love their presence and welcomes the ongoing campus expansion. When third-year law students Alexia Beatriz and Emily Montalvo walked in for their weekly lunch on Thursday, Kaew proudly proclaimed, “They’re like my daughters.”&nbsp;

In hopes of turning her restaurant into more of an attractive hangout, Kaew plans to invest more in the bar portion of her business next year.&nbsp;

In hopes of turning her restaurant into more of an attractive hangout, Kaew plans to invest more in the bar portion of her business next year.&nbsp;

“The local neighborhood really wants us to stay open,” Kaew said. “But we need people outside [the Tenderloin] to care about supporting us too.”&nbsp;

“The local neighborhood really wants us to stay open,” Kaew said. “But we need people outside [the Tenderloin] to care about supporting us too.”&nbsp;

By now, San Franciscans should be skeptical of any one simple solution to downtown’s intersecting challenges.&nbsp;

By now, San Franciscans should be skeptical of any one simple solution to downtown’s intersecting challenges.&nbsp;

Kate Robinson, executive director of the Tenderloin Community Benefit District, which like Urban Alchemy deploys ambassadors in the neighborhood’s streets, said she could not imagine the neighborhood without UC Law SF, calling the school “an engaged stakeholder in the truest sense.”&nbsp;

Kate Robinson, executive director of the Tenderloin Community Benefit District, which like Urban Alchemy deploys ambassadors in the neighborhood’s streets, said she could not imagine the neighborhood without UC Law SF, calling the school “an engaged stakeholder in the truest sense.”&nbsp;

Rhiannon Bailard, Chief Operating Officer at UC Law (The University of California College of the Law), formerly Hastings, points to the outdoor view from the balcony of the new student housing complex at 198 McAllister Street in the Tenderloin neighborhood in San Francisco on Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024. The 1,000-unit student housing complex opened in the Tenderloin last year and was hailed as a "beacon of change" for the neighborhood.

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/featured_20240216-uclawtenderloincampus-45.jpg?w=2500" alt="A woman views a cityscape with buildings and streets from a balcony with glass barriers." class="wp-image-251975"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Rhiannon Bailard, chief operating officer at UC Law, said for as much talk there is about bringing another college campus to San Francisco, she likes to remind people that one already exists in the Tenderloin.</figcaption></figure>

“The campus expansion is a win-win for the surrounding community,” Robinson said. “But we need a more sustained neighborhood-wide commitment from all of our community partners and not over-rely on the efforts of one single anchor institution to support us.”&nbsp;

“The campus expansion is a win-win for the surrounding community,” Robinson said. “But we need a more sustained neighborhood-wide commitment from all of our community partners and not over-rely on the efforts of one single anchor institution to support us.”&nbsp;

As for the plan for students to save downtown? The Mayor’s Office <a href="https://www.sfchronicle.com/realestate/article/uc-downtown-san-francisco-18605701.php" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">personally reached out</a> to the regents of the University of California last month, asking them to consider expanding the system’s footprint in San Francisco.&nbsp;

As for the plan for students to save downtown? The Mayor’s Office <a href="https://www.sfchronicle.com/realestate/article/uc-downtown-san-francisco-18605701.php" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">personally reached out</a> to the regents of the University of California last month, asking them to consider expanding the system’s footprint in San Francisco.&nbsp;

To date, no concrete proposals have hit the table. The owners of one major proposed site, the <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2024/01/24/san-francisco-centre-mall-store-owners-pray-for-turnaround/">struggling San Francisco Centre mall</a>, are <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2024/02/21/san-francisco-centre-prospective-anchor-tenants/">still trying to resuscitate it for retail</a>.&nbsp;

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To date, no concrete proposals have hit the table. The owners of one major proposed site, the <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2024/01/24/san-francisco-centre-mall-store-owners-pray-for-turnaround/">struggling San Francisco Centre mall</a>, are <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2024/02/21/san-francisco-centre-prospective-anchor-tenants/">still trying to resuscitate it for retail</a>.&nbsp;

UC Law SF leaders say while they support the city’s preliminary efforts to bring in new students and institutions, they’re focusing on bettering the Tenderloin before looking elsewhere.

UC Law SF leaders say while they support the city’s preliminary efforts to bring in new students and institutions, they’re focusing on bettering the Tenderloin before looking elsewhere.

“Bringing another UC campus to town is a major talking point,” Bailard said. “But we here like to remind folks that we already have one.”

“Bringing another UC campus to town is a major talking point,” Bailard said. “But we here like to remind folks that we already have one.”

San Francisco hopes college students can save downtown. This university is already trying

Mike Ege

San Francisco Mayor London Breed is formally asking the University of California to consider opening a Downtown San Francisco campus.&nbsp;

San Francisco Mayor London Breed is formally asking the University of California to consider opening a Downtown San Francisco campus.&nbsp;

Doing so would place students at the center of innovation in artificial intelligence and biotechnology, Breed wrote in a letter to Richard Leib, chair of the University of California Board of Regents.&nbsp;It would also breathe life into the city’s struggling Downtown, which is suffering from high vacancies and declining property values.

Doing so would place students at the center of innovation in artificial intelligence and biotechnology, Breed wrote in a letter to Richard Leib, chair of the University of California Board of Regents.&nbsp;It would also breathe life into the city’s struggling Downtown, which is suffering from high vacancies and declining property values.

The letter to Leib, which was co-signed by City Attorney David Chiu, was one of several that Breed highlighted at a Board of Supervisors appearance Tuesday. Separately, Breed asked the city administrator, the San Francisco Unified School District and City College of San Francisco to &#8220;be strategic&#8221; by considering occupying Downtown office space and using existing real estate for other purposes.&nbsp;

The letter to Leib, which was co-signed by City Attorney David Chiu, was one of several that Breed highlighted at a Board of Supervisors appearance Tuesday. Separately, Breed asked the city administrator, the San Francisco Unified School District and City College of San Francisco to "be strategic" by considering occupying Downtown office space and using existing real estate for other purposes.&nbsp;

The letter to Leib, which was co-signed by City Attorney David Chiu, was one of several that Breed highlighted at a Board of Supervisors appearance Tuesday. Separately, Breed asked the city administrator, the San Francisco Unified School District and City College of San Francisco to &#8220;be strategic&#8221; by considering occupying Downtown office space and using existing real estate for other purposes.&nbsp;

“Over the last several months, we&#8217;ve been moving forward to talk about the future of Downtown and changing our laws to make it easier to convert and fill empty space,” Breed said Tuesday. “But we also have to think bigger.”&nbsp;

“Over the last several months, we've been moving forward to talk about the future of Downtown and changing our laws to make it easier to convert and fill empty space,” Breed said Tuesday. “But we also have to think bigger.”&nbsp;

“Over the last several months, we&#8217;ve been moving forward to talk about the future of Downtown and changing our laws to make it easier to convert and fill empty space,” Breed said Tuesday. “But we also have to think bigger.”&nbsp;

GET THE INSIDE SCOOP: Power Play is The Standard&#8217;s insider email newsletter covering City Hall and politics. Sign up&nbsp;<a href="https://mailchi.mp/sfstandard/powerplay_signup/">here</a>.

GET THE INSIDE SCOOP: Power Play is The Standard's insider email newsletter covering City Hall and politics. Sign up&nbsp;<a href="https://mailchi.mp/sfstandard/powerplay_signup/">here</a>.

GET THE INSIDE SCOOP: Power Play is The Standard&#8217;s insider email newsletter covering City Hall and politics. Sign up&nbsp;<a href="https://mailchi.mp/sfstandard/powerplay_signup/">here</a>.

Other initiatives to revitalize Downtown include legislation to change zoning, encourage conversion of offices to housing, tax breaks and public safety improvements.&nbsp;

Other initiatives to revitalize Downtown include legislation to change zoning, encourage conversion of offices to housing, tax breaks and public safety improvements.&nbsp;

The idea of converting parts of Downtown into a new university campus began gaining steam earlier this year, with boosters arguing that students <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2023/04/10/sf-doom-loop-convert-downtown-offices-student-housing-uc-berkeley/">could inject new life</a> into the languishing area. Office vacancies in San Francisco are hovering around 30%, with Downtown buildings <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2023/07/18/san-francisco-commercial-property-values-could-plummet-40-by-2025/">projected to lose value</a> over the next few years.&nbsp;

San Francisco among most vulnerable cities to plummeting real estate values

The idea of converting parts of Downtown into a new university campus began gaining steam earlier this year, with boosters arguing that students <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2023/04/10/sf-doom-loop-convert-downtown-offices-student-housing-uc-berkeley/">could inject new life</a> into the languishing area. Office vacancies in San Francisco are hovering around 30%, with Downtown buildings <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2023/07/18/san-francisco-commercial-property-values-could-plummet-40-by-2025/">projected to lose value</a> over the next few years.&nbsp;

In the letter to Leib, Breed suggested that a new Downtown San Francisco campus would benefit the University of California system, which is experiencing a housing shortage.

In the letter to Leib, Breed suggested that a new Downtown San Francisco campus would benefit the University of California system, which is experiencing a housing shortage.

Breed pointed to “a number of properties” that may be suited to a mixed-use campus that includes student housing, classrooms, lab space and services.

Breed pointed to “a number of properties” that may be suited to a mixed-use campus that includes student housing, classrooms, lab space and services.

“We believe that bringing students to a City that is both brimming with culture and serves as the region&#8217;s economic powerhouse provides them with the opportunity to learn and live in a vibrant and world class metropolitan center, and could also serve to alleviate some of your critical student housing shortfalls at both UC Berkeley and UC San Francisco,” Breed wrote.

“We believe that bringing students to a City that is both brimming with culture and serves as the region's economic powerhouse provides them with the opportunity to learn and live in a vibrant and world class metropolitan center, and could also serve to alleviate some of your critical student housing shortfalls at both UC Berkeley and UC San Francisco,” Breed wrote.

“We believe that bringing students to a City that is both brimming with culture and serves as the region&#8217;s economic powerhouse provides them with the opportunity to learn and live in a vibrant and world class metropolitan center, and could also serve to alleviate some of your critical student housing shortfalls at both UC Berkeley and UC San Francisco,” Breed wrote.

In letters to the city administrator, the San Francisco Unified School District and City College of San Francisco, Breed asked city agencies to analyze their current portfolios of office space toward a plan “that supports the city’s economic recovery.”&nbsp;

In letters to the city administrator, the San Francisco Unified School District and City College of San Francisco, Breed asked city agencies to analyze their current portfolios of office space toward a plan “that supports the city’s economic recovery.”&nbsp;

That could include relocating city workers to new, more efficient office spaces in and around Downtown while using spaces owned by the city for different purposes, such as conversion to housing.&nbsp;

That could include relocating city workers to new, more efficient office spaces in and around Downtown while using spaces owned by the city for different purposes, such as conversion to housing.&nbsp;

Breed noted in the letters that remote work had led to lower rents in “high-quality buildings,” suggesting that city agencies could take advantage of the current rental climate. The city is one of the largest employers in San Francisco, with roughly <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2023/03/07/san-francisco-mayor-pay-salary-money-city-officials-employees-2022/#">39,000 employees as of last year</a>.&nbsp;

Breed noted in the letters that remote work had led to lower rents in “high-quality buildings,” suggesting that city agencies could take advantage of the current rental climate. The city is one of the largest employers in San Francisco, with roughly <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2023/03/07/san-francisco-mayor-pay-salary-money-city-officials-employees-2022/#">39,000 employees as of last year</a>.&nbsp;

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