Public Works wins large USDA urban-forestry grant to plant 3,500 street trees, committee forwards ordinance

San Francisco Public Works representatives told the Budget & Finance Committee on Sept. 18 that the Department had secured an Urban & Community Forestry grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to fund a multi-year program the department described as 'Justice, Jobs and Trees.' Acting Bureau of Urban Forestry Superintendent Nicholas Crawford said the award will fund planting and maintenance of 3,500 street trees in underserved communities over five years and support workforce development and new grant-funded positions.

Crawford said San Francisco's application was one of the largest in the state and that the grant is part of a nationwide program encompassing many awards; presenters described the city’s plan to prioritize census tracts with high heat vulnerability and low canopy and to rely on both internal staff and competitive grant partners and contractors to scale up planting. Committee members pressed staff on hiring timelines for seven new positions funded by the grant; Crawford said position numbers are queued and recruitment can begin as soon as funds are in hand, and the department will use internal staff to start work while new hires are onboarded.

Chair Chan and others asked about contracting timelines and equipment upgrades; staff said contractor procurement typically takes about a year and that existing garage-equipment-style capital projects may be needed for some components. The committee voted to forward the ordinance to the full Board with a positive recommendation (3–0).