Green Infrastructure Grant Program:
Board of Supervisors Update
July – September 2023
Program Summary
The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission’s (SFPUC) Green Infrastructure Grant Program (Grant Program) is designed to encourage San Francisco properties to design, build, and maintain performance-based green stormwater infrastructure (Green Infrastructure or GI), including but not limited to: permeable pavement, rainwater harvesting, rain gardens, and vegetated roofs. The purpose of the Green Infrastructure Grant Program is to improve the performance of SFPUC’s sewer system by reducing the amount of stormwater runoff entering the system, while delivering public benefits that enhance the quality of life of SFPUC rate payers.
To receive funding under the Grant Program each project must:
1. Be located on a parcel that is connected to an SFPUC-owned and operated sewer system service area.
2. Manage stormwater runoff from a minimum impervious area of 0.5 acres.
3. Capture the 90th percentile storm (0.75-inch depth) with the proposed green infrastructure features.
4. Provide at least two (2) of the identified co-benefits from the program list, which can be found in the Grantee Guidebook.
5. Have a grant team that collectively demonstrates a history of successful project implementation and has previous experience designing, constructing, and/or maintaining green infrastructure, and be in good standing in all currently active Green Infrastructure Grant Program projects.
More information on the Grant Program can be found at http://www.sfpuc.org/gigrants.
Quarterly Highlights
During the third quarter of 2023, SFPUC announced its awards for the Spring 2023 application cycle. 4 applications were received for the Spring 2023 cycle and 4 applications were awarded grants, totaling just over $5.4M in funding: Buchanan Street Mall, Louis Sutter Playground, Thurgood Marshall High School, and Visitacion Valley Middle School. Three active projects, Crocker Amazon Park, St. Anne of the Sunset, and St. Emydius began construction during the third quarter. Two active projects, Project Artaud and Everett Middle School began design during the third quarter. Four activate projects, Church of the Visitacion, St. Thomas More School, St. Monica, and St. Thomas the Apostle continued project design during the third quarter.
One project, Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church withdrew from the grant program during the third quarter. It was determined that the original project scope was not feasible because of significant geotechnical constraints on the property. Given the findings from the geotechnical investigation, the property owner’s preferences, and lack of a feasible stormwater management strategy for the site, the SFPUC and property owner agreed that the best path forward was to withdraw the project from
the grant program. The remaining unspent grant funds will be returned to the program for future projects.
Program Statistics (February 2019 – September 2023)
Since the launch of the Green Infrastructure Grant Program in February 2019, the SFPUC has awarded grants to 20 projects with a total of approximately $20M in funding. The following program summary statistics are as of September 30, 2023:
• Applications Received and Awarded: 20
• Active Projects: 16
• Projects Completed: 3
• Total Funding Awarded: $20.03M
• Potential Stormwater Captured by Awarded Projects: 13 million gallons per year • Property Site Visits Conducted by Technical Team: 58
• Site Opportunities Assessments Completed: 31
• Presentations Given to Stakeholders: 11
• Publications and Media pick-ups: 2
Green Infrastructure Grant Program Awarded Projects to Date Project Name Status Watershed Grant Amount
Impervious
Area Managed
(acres)
Estimated
Stormwater Volume
Managed (gal/yr)
Lafayette Elementary School Complete Sunset $487,891 0.6 341,000 St. Thomas More Church & School Design Phase Lake Merced $1,118,958 1.5 782,000 Bessie Carmichael Middle School Complete Channel $521,427 0.6 233,000 Lycee Francais SF Ortega Campus Complete Sunset $480,958 0.6 358,000 Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church Withdrawn Lake Merced $127,041 - - Crocker Amazon Park In Construction Sunnydale $859,151 1.1 593,000 St. Thomas the Apostle Church & School Design Phase Sunset $724,227 0.9 483,000 St. Monica Catholic Church & School Design Phase Richmond $641,413 0.8 394,000 St. Anne of the Sunset Church & School In Construction Sunset $1,557,898 2.0 1,089,000 St. Emydius Church & School In Construction Lake Merced $873,136 0.9 445,000 Church of the Visitacion Church & School Design Phase Sunnydale $1,727,103 1.9 925,000 Project Artaud Design Phase Channel $684,409 0.8 377,000 El Dorado Elementary School Awarded Fall 2022 Sunnydale $1,412,016 1.6 800,000 Visitacion Valley Elementary School Awarded Fall 2022 Sunnydale $883,092 1.0 489,000 Everett Middle School Design Phase Channel $1,874,496 2.0 1,060,000 Buena Vista Horace Mann School Awarded Fall 2022 Channel $629,423 0.7 318,000 Buchanan Street Mall Awarded Spring 2023 Channel $595,200 0.6 365,000 Louis Sutter Playground Awarded Spring 2023 Yosemite $831,473 1.0 488,000 Thurgood Marshall High School Awarded Spring 2023 Islais Creek $1,999,465 2.2 1,166,000 Visitacion Valley Middle School Awarded Spring 2023 Sunnydale $1,999,967 4.4 2,250,000 Total $20,028,744 25.1 12,956,000
St Anne of the Sunset (construction in progress, summer 2023)
Construction of new permeable walkway and rain garden
Construction of new permeable parking area
St Emydius (construction in progress, summer 2023)
Construction of subsurface infiltration gallery
Construction of new stormwater planter
Crocker Amazon Park (construction in progress, summer 2023)
Construction of new rain garden at parking lot entrance
Construction of new rain garden at parking lot entrance