PUC details urban agriculture pilot: College Hill moves to construction bidding, Bayview used for pop‑up resource hubs

The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission received an update on its Urban Agriculture Pilot Program, which identifies secondary uses of PUC land to support community food growing, education and job pathways.

Juliet Ellis and Yolanda Manzoni outlined progress at the three sites identified in 2011. College Hill (Bernal Heights) is at 100% design and is moving into the bid and award phase with a goal to complete construction by the next school year; the project will emphasize K–5 educational programming and curriculum‑linked features. The site adjacent to the Southeast Treatment Plant in Bayview Hunters Point was judged unsuitable for food production because of proximity to the treatment plant, traffic and adjacent gas stations; staff instead is deploying mobile resource hubs and pop‑up events that distribute soil, mulch and compost and provide training. The Crocker Amazon tract (Excelsior) is proceeding with CEQA analysis and a new biological survey; staff plans to partner with the community group Poder for design refinement and operation.

Community partners and city agencies voiced support. Hunters Point Family, Kasata Gardens, Rec and Park and the Department of the Environment participated in outreach. Poder’s door‑to‑door multilingual surveying showed strong community interest; staff reported 93% of surveyed residents supported a communal food‑growing space. Staff emphasized youth workforce development (10 youth running resource hubs to date) and biodiversity co‑benefits at McLaren Park/Crocker Amazon.

Next steps include award of construction contracts for College Hill, CEQA completion and biological surveys for Crocker Amazon, continued pop‑up resource events in Bayview, and partnership development with Poder and Rec and Park for operation and programming.