San Francisco has some of the best parks in the country
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San Francisco's parks are beloved here in the city, so it's only right they're getting proper recognition.
What's happening: San Francisco ranks No. 7 among the 100 largest U.S. cities for its public parks, per the latest report from the Trust for Public Land (TPL), a pro-parks nonprofit.
- The group rates cities on a variety of metrics, including the percentage of residents who live near a park, the share of city land reserved for parks, parks investment, and more. Cities are then awarded a "ParkScore."
Why it matters: Parks confer a wealth of benefits — including, as TPL points out in its latest annual report, significant health boosts.
- Parks offer spaces for physical activity and social gatherings, improve visitors' moods, and provide city dwellers a reprieve from noise and air pollution and the effects of climate change.
- Residents of the top 25 cities by ParkScore are less likely to report poor mental health or low physical activity, per TPL's latest report.
By the numbers: In San Francisco, there are 220 neighborhood parks and 4,113 acres of recreational and open space, according to the city's parks department.
- In San Francisco, 100% of residents live within a 10-minute walk of a park, according to the TPL report.
- Yes, but: Residents in neighborhoods with high concentrations of Black, Hispanic, Asian American and other people of color have access to 35% less park space per person than the city's average, and 56% less than residents in neighborhoods with high concentrations of white people.
The big picture: The city has made a number of investments in parks in recent years, spending a three-year average of $480 per capita on parks, according to the report.
- The parks department proposed a $256.5 million budget for fiscal year 2023-2024, which begins July 1. Last fiscal year, the parks department had a budget of $241.3 million.
- Meanwhile, the typical U.S. parks department has an annual budget of just a little more than $5 million, according to the National Recreation and Park Association.
Zoom in: Last April, the 4.5-acre Francisco Park opened on the northern side of the city on top of the Francisco Reservoir.
- Then, in July, the 14-acre Presidio Tunnel Tops opened atop the seven-lane Presidio Parkway tunnels.
- Meanwhile, the parks department is working alongside community members to bring new amenities to McLaren Park.
What's next: TPL's report offers recommendations for cities looking to boost their ParkScore, including expanding access (through better public transportation, for instance), starting drop-in sports programs, and exploring innovative partnerships with local health care organizations.