Mayor Lurie Signs Legislation Bringing New Investment Downtown, Accelerating Downtown's Comeback

SAN FRANCISCO – Mayor Daniel Lurie today signed legislation approving the expansion and renewal of the Downtown SF Partnership Community Benefit District—more than doubling the organization’s privately funded budget to expand services and programming while extending the service area all the way to the waterfront for the first time. The renewal increases the organization’s annual operating budget from approximately $4.8 million to $11 million—a significant new private investment in Mayor Lurie’s vision for a safe, clean downtown—and integrates the Ferry Building and surrounding area into the organization’s work as the city undertakes a major renovation of Embarcadero Plaza and Sue Bierman Park.

The partnership’s expansion drives forward key commitments in Mayor Lurie’s “Heart of the City” plan to make downtown San Francisco a neighborhood where people live, work, play, and learn. Clean and safe streets have been a central part of Mayor Lurie’s downtown revitalization strategy—he established the San Francisco Police Department Hospitality Zone Task Force within one month of taking office, and overall crime dropped more than 40% last year in the Central Station district, which includes Union Square and the Financial District. The broader downtown area has seen retail and hospitality activity rebound in recent months, with a mix of locally grown small businesses and large brands such as The RealReal, AT&T, and Nintendo. This latest vote of confidence from the private sector builds on momentum of other public-private initiatives, including more than $60 million in commitments to the Downtown Development Corporation, which will advance major public realm projects such as the Powell Street and Embarcadero Plaza renovations.

“Downtown is our city’s economic engine, and it’s helping drive our recovery—people are coming back, businesses are opening, and the streets are alive,” said Mayor Lurie. “By doubling down on this neighborhood, the Downtown SF Partnership is doubling down on our recovery and our entire city. This expansion is a vote of confidence in the work we’ve done to make downtown safer and cleaner, and I’m looking forward to continuing this partnership with the organization and everyone with a stake in downtown’s success and our city’s success.”

“Our organization was founded months before the pandemic, and this early renewal is a testament to how hard our team has worked to make downtown thrive again following years of uncertainty,” said Robbie Silver, Downtown SF Partnership President and CEO. “Property owners are choosing to not only continue our work but expand it, a full decade early, which is a resounding statement about the positive direction downtown is headed. San Francsico is known for being on the cutting edge, so it’s only right that we are moving forward with a renewal and expansion that will be a model for other community benefit districts across the country. We're grateful for the trust our stakeholders have placed in us and to the mayor and the City of San Francisco for its continued support.”

The legislation, approved 10-0 by the Board of Supervisors on July 21, expands the district’s boundaries to include a larger section of Jackson Square and major landmarks like Embarcadero Plaza Park and the Ferry Building, bringing the Port of San Francisco’s waterfront properties into a central business district for the first time. Beginning in Fiscal Year 2028–29, a dedicated assessment will generate $2.5 million annually for programming and maintenance at Embarcadero Plaza, supplementing existing San Francisco Recreation and Parks funding.

The renewal and expansion will support enhanced cleaning, safety, hospitality, wayfinding, homeless outreach, business attraction, and ground-floor activation throughout the district. It will also support continued investment in the Public Realm Action Plan, developed in partnership with SITELAB urban studio and the city to transition the district into a social destination.

“This expansion is significant and is a testament to the real trust the Downtown SF Partnership has built through years of partnership, vision, and, most of all, results,” said District 3 Supervisor Danny Sauter. “All of San Francisco relies on the energy and economic might of downtown, and this expansion means more cleaning, overnight safety patrols, stronger small business support, and a trusted partner in bringing in the new Embarcadero Plaza to life.”

Community benefit districts are state-authorized, locally governed public-private partnerships that enable property owners to collectively fund enhanced serviced tailored to their neighborhoods. The Office of Economic and Workforce Development (OEWD) oversees San Francisco's network of community benefit districts and partners with them to support clean, safe, and vibrant commercial corridors.

“Community benefit districts are some of the city’s most effective public-private partnerships, helping to maintain the clean, safe, and vibrant commercial areas that businesses and residents depend on,” said Anne Taupier, OEWD Director. “This expansion is the largest increase in any self‑assessment district in our history. It is a massive endorsement of the mayor’s and the Downtown SF Partnership’s leadership, and it ensures continued investment in the services and public spaces that support our vision of downtown as a clean, safe, and vibrant 24/7 neighborhood where businesses, workers, residents, and visitors can thrive.”

Officially launching with its new boundaries and expanded services in January 2027, the expanded district received overwhelming support from property owners. The renewal and expansion was approved with 85.15% of the weighted assessment ballots cast, far exceeding the majority threshold required under state law to establish the district.

“Downtown property owners have been funding the services that enhance the cleanliness, safety, and vibrancy of public spaces since 2020, and the public has noticed this commitment. That is why the Downtown SF Partnership was able to earn broad support to renew the district and increase those valuable services,” said Dan Kingsley, San Francisco Recovery Fund Co-Founder and Chairman. “Mayor Lurie said in January that ‘there has never been a more exciting time to be a San Franciscan, and it’s time to put our foot on the accelerator.’ DSFP has been an indispensable partner with the mayor in turning downtown’s momentum into sustainable growth, and this renewal will give DSFP the ability to support the mayor’s vision.”

The inclusion of the Embarcadero and northern waterfront represents a deepening of the Downtown SF Partnership’s existing partnership with the Port of San Francisco. Since 2023, the partnership has supported enhanced cleaning, safety, and operations for major civic events including APEC 2023, New Year’s Eve, Fourth of July, Fleet Week, and ongoing waterfront activations including Let’s Glow SF, which drew more than 128,000 attendees in 2025 and generated more than $15 million in estimated economic impact.

“The Port is excited to join the Downtown SF Partnership,” said Michael Martin, Port of San Francisco Executive Director. “We have successfully collaborated with the partnership in the past on large-scale waterfront events to boost public safety, cleanliness, programming, and visibility. Now we see a real opportunity in more closely linking the Embarcadero waterfront and the Financial District. The Downtown SF Partnership expansion that includes Port property will support multiple Port objectives, including economic growth, exceptional service delivery, public realm activation, equity, and partnership building."

The renewal also expands programming investment across the district, including the transformation of Embarcadero Plaza and Sue Bierman Park. As fundraising and programming partner for the project, the Downtown SF Partnership will help shape ongoing events, programming, and maintenance to ensure the space remains an active civic destination after construction is complete.

“Embarcadero Plaza has long been one of San Francisco's most important civic gathering places, and we're excited to help write its next chapter,” said Sarah Madland, San Francisco Recreation and Park Department General Manager. “This partnership ensures the park will be more than a beautifully redesigned space—it will be an active destination filled with events, recreation, culture, and everyday experiences that bring people together. That's how great parks help build a thriving downtown.”

The Downtown SF Partnership helped establish California’s first entertainment zone on Front Street, drawing thousands for events around Oktoberfest, St. Patrick’s Day, and its Fridays on Front Street series, helping businesses see up to a 700% increase in sales. Additionally, the organization’s Drag Me Downtown series, offering free weekly drag shows during Pride Month, has grown from intimate performances for dozens of guests to become events drawing nearly 1,000 people at the Ferry Building and the Conservatory at One Sansome.

“As a small business owner in downtown San Francisco, I see every day DSFP's work to create clean, safe, and welcoming streets for our customers and the broader business community,” said Andrew Chun, Owner, Schroeder’s. “Schroeder’s has been a direct beneficiary of DSFP's leadership in creating great programming that brings people downtown to fill our tables and energize the district. With this renewal and expansion, DSFP can deliver those same benefits that restaurants like ours rely on every day, which gives owners like me the confidence to keep growing and investing in downtown.”