Community leaders urge continued funding for Tenderloin Community Action Plan

Planning staff presented an update Nov. 14 on the Tenderloin Community Action Plan (TCAP), a community-driven initiative launched with $4 million in seed funding intended to deliver 21 projects and build a long-term investment blueprint for the neighborhood.

Miriam Chien and Kimia Hadidan summarized achievements including a participatory budgeting process, small business supports, youth programs, a night navigator pilot that was later mainstreamed by public health, and public-space activations such as the Golden Gate Greenway and Elm Alley. Staff emphasized that TCAP's investments have leveraged additional funding and strengthened local capacity: "They ask us to connect the dots," staff said of the community's request for coordinated, interagency action.

More than three dozen speakers, including nonprofit leaders, residents, service providers and youth, described direct program impacts and urged the commission and the city to continue funding TCAP staff and projects past June 2025. Speakers asked the commission to ensure the work, staffing and community capacity built during the initiative are sustained in the next city budget cycle so pilot projects can transition into ongoing services.

Commissioners praised the strong turnout, acknowledged the need for continued staffing and said they would look for opportunities to support the initiative in the city's upcoming budget process. Planning staff said they intend to seek continued support for TCAP positions and to convene philanthropic briefings to secure longer-term funding.