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SF Environment summarizes decade-plus environmental justice grant investments in Bayview
Summary
Department staff reviewed the Environmental Justice grant program’s history and outcomes — roughly $12 million invested over 12 years in gardens, solar installations, job training and healthy-homes projects — and invited continued community input on program design.
Annie Ng, environmental justice program manager for the San Francisco Department of the Environment, told the commission on Dec. 3 that the department has provided about $12 million in grants and contracts over 12 years to support community projects in Potrero Hill and Bayview Hunters Point.
Ng said grants supported school and community gardens, healthy-food projects, training and more than 100 solar installations in the Bayview area. Grantees who spoke at the meeting — including Jeffrey Boettcher of Quisada Gardens and Leah Pimentel of GRID Alternatives — described sustained community benefits such as neighborhood gardens, volunteer engagement, energy bill savings for low-income homeowners and green job training.
GRID Alternatives’ representative said the program helped install more than 164 solar systems for low-income homeowners and estimated $3.3 million in energy savings and substantial job-training hours associated with installations. Grantees said neighborhood partners have used the funding to build local capacity and run education programs that support both environmental and social goals.
Commissioners thanked staff and grantees and suggested continued reviews to streamline grant application processes and increase accessibility for small community-based organizations.
