Ocean Avenue Community Benefit District renewed after property-owner vote; 54 parcels removed in amendment

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors on July 8 approved renewal and expansion of the Ocean Avenue Community Benefit District (CBD), following a committee-of-the-whole hearing, an amendment by Supervisor Chen to trim the proposed boundary, and a weighted property-owner ballot count that showed no majority protest.

Supervisor Chen introduced an amendment during the hearing to remove 54 noncommercial parcels along Geneva Avenue from the originally proposed boundary. Chen said the removed parcels "represent $44,491.27 in assessment revenues" and that the amended assessment total would be $435,088.36. The amendment was moved and seconded and approved on the record.

After public testimony and consideration of the amendment, the Department of Elections tabulated ballots. The returned weighted ballots voting in favor of the Ocean Avenue CBD renewal totaled 70.41% and the ballots opposed totaled 29.59%, the clerk reported. That distribution did not constitute a majority protest, enabling the Board to adopt the resolution. The Board then approved the resolution as amended on a roll call vote, 11-0.

What the CBD will do: The Ocean Avenue Association (OAA) proposes continuing and expanding corridor cleaning, maintenance and business-support services. Executive Director Christian Martin told the board the association delivered daily sweeping and weekly pressure washing, landscaping tasks and event programming; he said the organization completed 43,547 tasks on the main Ocean Avenue corridor (not including Lakeside Village) and recorded 62,025 pounds of collected trash during recent work. The OAA's proposed budget in presentations ranged from an assessment-supported budget of roughly $378,000 (current) to a proposed $500,000 annual budget for the expanded district; Supervisor Chen's amendment reduced that proposed total to approximately $460,000 in OAA's planning figures, and Chen reported the final amended assessment total of $435,088.36.

Speakers and testimony: Jackie Hazelwood, Community Benefit District Program Director with the Office of Economic and Workforce Development (OEWD), described the process and thanked city staff and community leaders. Christian Martin, executive director of the Ocean Avenue Association, described the association's cleanup and program work, and named Roland, the corridor ambassador, as the primary on-street point of contact. Multiple business owners, property owners and volunteers from Lakeside Village and the Ocean Avenue corridor addressed the board in support, describing power washing, graffiti removal, events and business assistance. Several speakers noted the organization's work to address hazardous waste and unsanitary conditions along the corridor.

Board action and next steps: Supervisor Chen moved the amendment to the management plan and engineer's report; Supervisor Melgar and others spoke in support of the renewal and the proposed expansion into Lakeside Village. After the Department of Elections tabulated ballots and the clerk announced no majority protest, the Board adopted the resolution to establish the property-based business improvement district for 15 years and to impose the assessments as amended. The adopted resolution includes the updated management plan and engineer's report dated July 2025. The Department of Elections published the ballot tabulation on the clerk's record.

Quoted on the record: Supervisor Chen said she "sincerely hope[s] that you all will support the renewal of the Ocean Avenue Community Benefit District," emphasizing the corridor's cleaning, murals, events and small-business assistance. Christian Martin summarized operational results: "We completed 43,547 tasks along the main Ocean Avenue corridor" and credited a small staff and volunteers for the work.

Ending: With the Board's vote, the Ocean Avenue Association will proceed as the district manager under the approved management plan and may begin levy and collection of the assessments for the fiscal year the plan specifies. Property owners who returned ballots will be notified of the tabulation and the Department of Elections will post the official results as required by city procedures.