Urban stairwell beautified as a part of the Street Parks program.
Image Credit: SF Parks Alliance
San Francisco Street Parks: A case study on nature and public health
By Lucia Shuff-Heck
December 1, 2020
A common challenge of the Covid-19 pandemic, particularly in the United States, has been meeting the need and demand for access to nature in cities. Parks that were once accessible are now too crowded, while families that were already struggling to find access to nature now face additional obstacles in terms of closures and high demand for limited space. Throughout the pandemic, rates of anxiety and depression have increased substantially and communities have sought solace in the outdoors. As studies have shown, short periods of time spent in nature, or even greened areas, can help to alleviate stress and anxiety and promote mental wellness. This makes equitable access all the more critical.
Now more than ever, it is imperative that urban nature is accessible for everyone. Nature can mitigate against the social isolation resulting from the pandemic. Limited park access, or even park closures instituted against a CDC recommendation, can lessen the ability of nature to aid residents in the time of the crisis. The overlapping impacts of restricted access to nature and the pandemic are compounded for communities of color, as Black neighborhoods have much more limited access to green space. These racial disparities are mirrored in the demographic data for coronavirus, as Black patients are more likely to experience increased susceptibility to the virus, as well as being at higher risk for complications. In this way, the pandemic has illuminated an oft-overlooked element of public health, as well as highlighting inequity in the distribution of the essential services that nature provides.
San Francisco Street Parks. Photos by Tim Beatley
One city hoping to address this disparity is San Francisco. A Partner City in the Biophilic Cities Network, San Francisco has created a variety of planning and policy mechanisms to aid in the creation of a dispersed park system, allowing the city to better respond to increased demand for nature during the pandemic. One primary example is the Street Parks program, a partnership between the San Francisco Parks Alliance and the city Public Works (SFPW) department, that was profiled by Tim Beatley in the latest issue of the Biophilic Cities Journal. During the pandemic, the city has moved to open its streets and public spaces to facilitate micromobility for a broad range of residents. The city has entered the third phase of its slow streets program and has initiated a new Shared Spaces program for more flexible use of sidewalks, streets, and other public spaces.
The city's pandemic response is a reflection of a larger, continuing citywide expansion of programs creating greater park access. As an aspect of this effort, residents are not only permitted, but encouraged to renovate alleys, parking spaces, and sidewalks near to them to incorporate gardens and greenery into residential areas. The Street Parks program facilitates new parks by providing technical and funding support to residents who are willing to help maintain the space. This allows people, especially those from marginalized communities, to have more agency over their own neighborhoods with assistance from the program. Residents work across neighborhoods, creating anything from landscaped medians to artistically redesigned stairwells.
Community-based initiatives are essential for a city to rebuild trust and engender a sense of safety and inclusion for its residents. Programs like the Street Parks initiative let communities decide the kinds of interventions they want to see, encouraging artistic interventions, greened pathways, and blended social spaces.
Lucia Shuff-Heck is the Communications Coordinator for Biophilic Cities, and an undergraduate in the Global Sustainability program at the University of Virginia.