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PUC approves license for Crocker Amazon urban farm; commissioners seek workforce and wage safeguards
Summary
The commission approved a five‑year revocable license with a three‑year renewal option to the Tide Center for an urban demonstration farm at Crocker Amazon. Commissioners asked staff to develop consistent policies on nonprofit use of PUC land and to create linkages from youth programs to PUC career opportunities.
The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission on Sept. 26 authorized a five‑year revocable license (with one three‑year renewal option) for the Tide Center to operate an urban demonstration farm at the Crocker Amazon site, a pilot intended to provide community gardening space and youth programming.
Michael Carlin, deputy general manager, presented the proposal and said the site is part of the Commission'''''''''''''s earlier direction to activate underused PUC property for secondary community uses. Carlin said a nonprofit vendor will organize and manage the pilot and highlighted the project's youth education and community engagement goals.
Commissioner Courtney pressed staff for information about labor and compensation for employees working under nonprofit arrangements on PUC land, saying the Commission must protect standards for people doing work that might otherwise be public‑sector careers. He asked whether nonprofit partners provide benefits, retirement and fair wages for staff.
Representatives from PODER (a project of the Tide Center) told the Commission they are fiscally sponsored by the Tide Center and that staff receive benefits, including retirement (401(k)) and that the project is envisioned as volunteer‑run with youth leadership. PODER said it seeks to use the site to provide jobs and training pipelines for neighborhood youth and to partner with PUC workforce programs.
Commissioners asked staff to bring forward a general policy discussion about nonprofit use of PUC land so that future licenses include expectations about workforce linkages, training pathways and how to avoid devaluing comparable public‑sector work. With that framing and after public comment from neighborhood representatives, Commissioner Courtney moved the item and it carried by voice vote.
The license covers approximately 275,473 square feet near Geneva Avenue and Moscow Street and is intended to support an urban demonstration farm with no use fee, staff said.
