As a neighborhood collective, Friends of 770 Woolsey Street led the community effort to preserve the Garden District’s agricultural history at its last remaining nursery site. We remain advocates for an urban farm vision directed towards urban-agriculture, community, and education.
Our values
To advance the development of a community asset at 770 Woolsey Street that will be a shared gathering space and educational hub for sustainable farming and gardening practices.
To promote the Portola neighborhood’s Garden District identity through education and sharing of its green history with the community.
To engage the Portola neighborhood and broader community in the planning and development process.
To motivate and empower the community to initiate and lead future projects
Our Vision
To create an educational and community resource in the Southeast part of San Francisco that is currently underserved. We aim to provide agricultural learning opportunities and social interaction for youth, seniors, and San Francisco’s most vulnerable residents. This unique resource will benefit a diverse population and will be a catalyst for community pride and reinvestment. An urban farm at 770 Woolsey Street will continue a century of agriculture at the site, and be a living testament to Portola’s history and culture.
“These greenhouses are a cornerstone of
our neighborhood and represent a cultural marker for a district hardly known to the rest of the city.”
What We've Achieved
3,450+ petition signatures to preserve agriculture at 770 Woolsey Street.
120+ written letters submitted to the Planning Department in favor of historic preservation.
68-page historic report identifying the cultural and historical significance of the University Mound Nursery at 770 Woolsey Street.
Officially designated San Francisco’s Garden District in 2016 after a resolution was introduced by former District 9 Supervisor, David Campos.
2015 Portola Green Plan, created by a diverse group representing various Portola constituencies, identified 770 Woolsey as an important facet of the neighborhood's green future.