Neighbors,
As we close out the year, TLCBD does so under less-than-ideal circumstances. Ending the year displaced from our office, first from flooding, then from a fire, is not how anyone would choose to wrap up twelve months of work. It’s a reminder that this neighborhood often has to adapt quickly and keep moving, even when things don’t go as planned. This has also been a reminder that the Tenderloin is a real community – showing up for one another during the toughest times. We thank you for the outpouring of support. We feel the love and need it to keep us going!
Still, the year behind us was far from defined by challenges alone. Throughout the past year, TLCBD and our partners showed up every day for the Tenderloin—keeping streets cleaner, supporting safety and youth, stewarding public spaces, uplifting small businesses, and ensuring the neighborhood’s voice remained present in citywide conversations. This recap reflects that steady work: the progress made, the partnerships built, and the community moments that shaped the Tenderloin over the year.
CLEAN
Keeping the Tenderloin clean remains foundational to everything else we do.
Throughout the year, TLCBD’s Clean Team maintained a consistent, visible presence across the neighborhood — removing litter, graffiti, sharps, and debris; responding to service requests; and supporting daily coordination with City partners to keep sidewalks and corridors accessible. This work happens during the day and through targeted swing shifts, ensuring coverage when and where it’s most needed.
Clean operations reached significant milestones over the course of the year, including surpassing one million pounds of trash removed and thousands of responses to encampments, graffiti, and 311 requests. In June, TLCBD marked the one-year anniversary of the Clean Team Workforce Program during Beautification Day, highlighting a full year of neighborhood-based job training and employment in partnership with San Francisco Public Works. That same day also launched TLCBD’s inaugural graffiti abatement initiative, expanding our capacity to address visual blight while supporting cleaner, safer streets.
Together, these efforts reflect what residents and visitors experience daily: cleaner public spaces that support safety, mobility, small businesses, and community life.
SAFE
Safety in the Tenderloin is built through people, trust, and consistency.
Safe Passage continued to operate as both a program and a culture — supporting children, families, seniors, and residents through daily routes, trainings, and partnerships with schools and after-school programs. Mayor Daniel Lurie joined Safe Passage routes twice overall, including once during his first year as mayor, reinforcing the importance of this work and the need for City leadership to remain visibly engaged with Tenderloin families.
PARKS
TLCBD’s Parks Team continued daily stewardship of neighborhood parks, ensuring they remained clean, safe, and accessible for residents of all ages.
Boeddeker Park, in particular, functioned as a true community space—hosting youth programming, workforce events, and neighborhood gatherings—while ongoing maintenance and staffing ensured it remained welcoming day-to-day.
This consistent care made it possible for parks and public spaces to serve as places of connection and relief in a dense urban neighborhood. From casual afternoons to large gatherings, TLCBD’s parks work ensured Macaulay, Turk/Hyde Mini, and Boeddeker were open, usable, and supportive of community life. The year closed with the Tenderloin People’s Holiday Tree Lighting at Boeddeker Park, a long-standing neighborhood tradition that once again brought residents together through music, performances, and shared celebration — a reminder of how essential well-maintained public space is to the Tenderloin.
POLICY & VOICE
TLCBD continued to elevate Tenderloin voices at City Hall and beyond, even amid a challenging budget environment.
As outreach partners for the Tenderloin Community Action Plan (TCAP), TLCBD helped amplify community input and shape the Tenderloin Investment Blueprint — a guide for neighborhood priorities over the next several years. While funding did not materialize for every proposed investment, advocacy continued, reinforcing that progress often requires persistence rather than a single vote.
TLCBD also engaged on issues including shelter location equity, youth violence prevention, and the geographic distribution of services. Staff and leadership participated in hearings, press conferences, and public forums, ensuring the Tenderloin’s needs and strengths were reflected in City decision-making. These efforts positioned TLCBD as a steady presence during moments of both advancement and uncertainty.
YOUTH, SMALL BUSINESS, AND CULTURAL LIFE
Across all pillars, the year was marked by connection, creativity, and economic life.
TLCBD supported youth through multiple cohorts of the DCYF-funded internship program, Policy & Voice engagement, and partnerships with schools and youth-serving organizations. Small businesses were uplifted through Small Business Week, merchant walks, the Tenderloin Small Business Resource Fair, and ongoing promotion via VisitTenderloin.com
Cultural life remained vibrant through the Tenderloin Music & Arts Festival, First Thursday Art Walks, Dodge Alley programming, gallery activations, and neighborhood celebrations. Events such as Día de los Muertos transformed public space into places of remembrance and joy, while media coverage increasingly reflected a fuller picture of the neighborhood — one shaped by resilience, entrepreneurship, arts, and community leadership.
LOOKING AHEAD
As we move into the year ahead, TLCBD does so with a steady hand. The challenges remain complex, but the foundation built through daily work, partnerships, and trust is strong. We will continue showing up — maintaining clean streets, supporting safety, stewarding parks, uplifting youth and small businesses, and advocating for a Tenderloin that works for everyone who calls it home.
Thank you for being part of this community and for supporting TLCBD throughout the year.
TLCBD
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