The Tenderloin neighborhood in San Francisco is at risk of losing a valuable public space, known as the oasis, due to the city’s decision to cease funding its contract with Urban Alchemy to manage the area. The oasis, located at Turk and Hyde streets, has been a haven for residents since its opening in 2022, providing a safe space for people to meet, relax, and access various services.

Community Impact

The potential closure of the oasis has raised concerns among community members, who fear that the area may revert to its previous state as a hub for drug activity. Supervisor Bilal Mahmood is working with the mayor’s office and the janitors union, SEIU Local 87, which owns the lot, to find a new arrangement to keep the space open. Mahmood emphasized the importance of maintaining the oasis, stating that its closure would be detrimental to the neighborhood.

The Tenderloin Community Action Plan, launched in 2021, aimed to improve neighborhood conditions, including the creation of public spaces. While there have been efforts to create temporary play areas and soccer pitches, public spaces for adults seem to be disappearing. The closure of the oasis would be a significant loss for the community, which has come to rely on it as a safe and inclusive space.

Future Plans

Although the city has announced plans to remove new benches and planters on Taylor Street, there are hopes that the oasis can be saved. Mahmood is negotiating to implement new programming at the site, which could include a new operator to manage the space. The mayor’s office has expressed interest in preventing the site from returning to a vacant lot, and community-driven initiatives may be explored to continue activating the space.

Original reporting: Mission Local — read the source article.