Creating San Francisco’s “Emerald Necklace” — Sunset Boulevard Is Key Link

By Supervisor Joel Engardio

Sunset Boulevard has the potential to become a neighborhood gem — a two-mile stretch of verdant parkland, recreation space, and native plant habitat. With additional maintenance and capital funding, Sunset Boulevard could be part of San Francisco’s own “Emerald Necklace” — a continuous green loop for immediate neighbors and residents to revel in the natural beauty our city offers.

Sunset Boulevard is the key link, connecting Lake Merced to Golden Gate Park. The entire two-mile stretch has a 60-acre greenbelt on both sides. 

But for many years, the greenbelt has received less care than it deserves. A combination of drought, deferred maintenance, and decades-old irrigation pipes have resulted in a boulevard far less green and vibrant than it could be.

New investments
A coordinated city and state investment will revitalize the Sunset Boulevard green space corridor.

I am excited to announce $1 million in new state funding for irrigation infrastructure. The city is investing $500,000 to hire additional gardeners provided by the Recreation and Parks Department. This will also include a workforce training program with the Northern California Laborers Training Center. Public Works will continue with boulevard and median maintenance.

This will ensure Sunset Boulevard receives the same level of care and staffing as other prominent green spaces in San Francisco. 

The workforce training program will highlight how our workforce proudly creates some of the best parks and open spaces in the world. The expansive green corridor along Sunset Boulevard has countless workforce development opportunities.

Return on investment
As residents along Sunset Boulevard watched the greenbelt lose its luster, they had to ask the city to renew it. The advocacy mattered because residents deserve to see Sunset Boulevard realize its full potential as true parkland – a scenic, beautiful, and well-maintained landscape. 

Sunset Boulevard is already a biodiversity hotspot, with native plant habitat and 30 rain gardens. It also has a multipurpose recreational trail and exercise equipment. In June 2025, my office nominated Sunset Boulevard as a Priority Conservation Area, a regionally significant designation adopted by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission.

Investing in Sunset Boulevard will also pay dividends for adjacent neighbors and the greater westside. It will expand local access to parkland and recreational opportunities. It will encourage greater stewardship and community volunteerism. Plus, it will help increase the Sunset’s urban forest canopy. 

This investment in the greenbelt also demonstrates the city’s commitment to be accountable and deliver results for the westside. For years, neighbors have asked the city for more gardeners to maintain Sunset Boulevard. This new partnership between Public Works and Rec and Parks will enable the city to leverage the skills, available labor, and expertise within each department.

A well-maintained and beautiful Sunset Boulevard greenbelt highlights the best of the westside — and San Francisco.

Welcome to the start of the Emerald Necklace!

Funding details
$1 million will be dedicated to the Sunset Boulevard Recycled Water Project. The improvements, designed by Public Works, will replace potable water supplied for irrigation with highly treated recycled water that exceeds state standards. Senator Scott Wiener successfully secured this funding in the California state budget this fiscal year.

$500,000 will launch a new maintenance and workforce training program, a partnership of Recreation and Parks, Northern California Laborers Training Center, and Public Works. My office prioritized this request in the city budget, which also secured support from Mayor Daniel Lurie.

Collaboration details
San Francisco’s Recreation and Parks Department and Public Works have agreed to collaborate on landscape maintenance to substantially increase the amount of landscape resources deployed in the field. 

Rec and Park will focus on landscape maintenance tasks including: turf maintenance and mowing, vegetation management and weeding, ornamental and native plant maintenance, tree planting and irrigation, green infrastructure maintenance and routine irrigation system maintenance within the scope of a city gardener’s duties. 

Public Works will provide a crew to perform typical landscape maintenance duties. It will also focus on all urban forestry maintenance work on established trees and all infrastructure maintenance, including major irrigation system maintenance, hardscape repairs, park furnishings maintenance and graffiti abatement.

Rec and Park and Public Works management and landscape teams will coordinate closely in the delivery of this vision, working together as one team.

Northern California Laborers Training Center Executive Director Leonard Gonzales
“Thanks to Supervisor Engardio’s leadership and support from Mayor Lurie, the Sunset Boulevard project will not only help beautify the neighborhood, but provide industry-recognized training for jobseekers looking to enter the unionized maintenance and construction fields,” said Leonard Gonzales, Executive Director of the Northern California Laborers Training Center. “This exciting investment builds on the past 20 years of workforce development collaboration between the Laborers Union and the City and County of San Francisco, including our ApprenticeshipSF partnership with the Recreation and Parks Department and SF Public Works, as well as the Mario De La Torre Academy pre-apprenticeship program.”

Senator Scott Wiener
“I am grateful this important project was able to be included in the State Budget,” said Senator Scott Wiener. “Since 2023, Supervisor Engardio has been engaging with my office about how the State could contribute to this important infrastructure project. While improving the streetscape remains the primary objective, I am thrilled that the Public Works-Recreation and Parks partnership will create a workforce training program. I am thankful for Mayor Lurie and Supervisor Engardio’s leadership in making this project a reality.”

Recreation and Park Department General Manager Phil Ginsburg
“This investment is an exciting opportunity to reimagine what Sunset Boulevard can be — a vibrant, sustainable green space that truly serves the public,” said Recreation and Park Department General Manager Phil Ginsburg. “We’re honored that Rec and Park will assist in its care, and we’re grateful for the recognition of our dedicated staff. The men and women of Rec and Park take great pride in serving San Francisco, and we look forward to bringing that same commitment to Sunset Boulevard.”

Public Works Director Carla Short
“The new partnership and investment focusing on the improvement of Sunset Boulevard will advance the recent momentum in the revitalization of this important westside corridor,” said Public Works Director Carla Short. “The collaborative operation that brings together City departments, elected leaders, labor and the community demonstrates our joint resolve to create a more resilient and beautiful greenway.”