Mark Farrell’s plans reimagine downtown neighborhoods, create a new world-class park at Embarcadero Plaza, provide incentives for tens of thousands of new housing units and return to office efforts, increase public safety, and make transit more accessible
San Francisco (Special to ZennieReport.com) – Today, Former Interim Mayor Mark Farrell announced policies and a bold vision to create downtown neighborhoods, transform the downtown core, and turbocharge economic development and recovery. First, Farrell announced he will initiate a bold 20-year vision and plan for a re-energized, resilient, and mixed-use downtown and released a concept design for a new world-class park at Embarcadero Plaza.
Second, Farrell announced tax and economic incentives to attract, retain, and expand employers, including an incentive for employers who agree to mandate employees at least four days in the office.
Third, he will massively increase public safety efforts by deploying more officers on foot patrols and enforcing a zero tolerance approach to crime.
Fourth, he will incentivize tens of thousands of new housing units and the repurposing of underutilized buildings to create new “anchor projects” – large mixed-use projects that contain commercial office, small businesses, housing, open space, and more. Last, he will create a downtown revitalization authority to enact, support, and fund the plan, similar to the economic development authorities in New York City and other cities.
“I believe San Francisco has a once-in-a-generation opportunity to completely reimagine the possibilities and vision for our downtown neighborhoods,” said Former Interim Mayor Farrell. “I will be bold, creative, and proactive in launching incentives that build new housing, marquis anchor projects and world-class parks, boost foot traffic and visitors, and make our downtown core the exciting 24/7 neighborhoods that they should be. Mayor Breed’s lack of proactive planning and vision has our downtown recovery stuck in cement, and is another unfortunate example of her failed leadership.”
Under Mayor Breed’s tenure, San Francisco is facing one of the slowest post-pandemic recoveries in the country, with downtown recovery projected to take nearly two decades to return to pre-pandemic levels. Public safety is the top concern of residents citywide and tourism is still below pre-pandemic levels. Commercial vacancies are at an all-time high, exacerbated by massive iconic retailers like Macy’s departing. Large conventions have been canceled indefinitely, with no plans to return. San Francisco only permitted 16 new housing units in the first half of the year. With an anemic number of employees returning to the office, downtown is struggling to bounce back, reducing city tax revenues and economic growth.
As the only candidate with significant and successful private sector experience, Farrell is committed to reimagining downtown to reinvigorate the City’s economy, add more vibrancy to downtown neighborhoods, create tens of thousands of new homes for families, and new tax revenue for vital public services and programs. Farrell’s plan draws from the successes of major neighborhoods in other cities, like New York City’s Lower Manhattan, that have come back from similar big challenges.
His plan includes the following:
Implement a 20-Year Vision to Reimagine & Transform Downtown Neighborhoods
- Create and implement a bold 20-year vision for a re-energized, resilient, and mixed-use downtown
- Reimagine the barren brick and concrete open space of Embarcadero Plaza into a world-class, family-friendly downtown park.
- Upgrade the waterfront to a more robust destination and economic driver for visitors
- Provide aggressive tax-increment financing and local incentives to speed up the production of housing and conversion of commercial office to residential housing
- Farrell’s housing platform calls for increasing height limits to their maximum heights in the Financial District, SoMA, and Mission Bay neighborhoods to help deliver tens of thousands of new units and residents
- Provide tax incentives and new zoning rules to incentivize the create of new entertainment, nightlife, and culture uses to make new neighborhoods that bring life 24/7
- Reimagine Union Square to encourage more new housing and mixed-use projects to bring more vibrancy, visitors, and shopping to the district
- Repurpose downtown buildings to create “anchor projects” – mixed-use projects for residential housing, commercial offices, open space, entertainment spaces, and other small business opportunities
Massively Increase Public Safety Efforts & Presence
- Expand San Francisco Police Department foot patrol resources beyond Union Square to the core of downtown through Farrell’s plans to grow the police force back to record size
- Streamline and integrate response protocols, training, and surveillance systems among Community Benefit Districts (CBDs), downtown area ambassador programs, and street teams
Create Incentives to Boost the Local Economy, Employment, Foot Traffic, & Vibrancy
- Create new tax incentives for employers who mandate employees go into the office at least four days a week
- Farrell is proposing a gross receipts tax incentive for employers willing to make the new commitment
- Offer a City tax credit for new employers if they establish their business in a designated downtown zone
- Allow sales tax generated in Tenderloin and Mid Market to be kept in those neighborhoods for public safety infrastructure and services
- Farrell is setting a goal of cutting the commercial vacancy rate in half by the end of his first term
Create an Independent Organization Responsible for Downtown Recovery
- Develop a Resilience and Development Authority (R&D Authority) established by the City and the State to oversee downtown economic development in conjunction with the Mayor and City staff that will:
- Develop new major anchor projects, including large transit projects, university campuses, arts centers, arenas, large parks, and more to transform downtown
- Create zoning changes and economic incentives to facilitate and expedite real estate development
- Prioritize and finance critical public realm improvements in conjunction with CBDs
- Implement improved and consistent marketing, activation, cleanliness, safety, and transit improvements
- Establish a City department or unit dedicated to supporting downtown-area events and street closures
Improve Transit Accessibility & Road Safety
- Restore remaining transit lines to downtown and reimagine a new Market Street that safely includes private vehicles, public transit, protected bike lanes, and enhanced pedestrian safety improvements to inject more life into the corridor and help local businesses
- Focus on ensuring all modes of transportation, particularly Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) and Muni, are clean, safe, reliable, and convenient by expanding the use of appropriate public safety personnel on transit
“With the right leader and incentives coupled with the support of businesses and residents, a mixed-use project that reinvisions how people are working and living downtown is exactly what our City needs,” said Rajiv Patel, president of Spear Street Capital. “It’s time for us to think bigger and challenge the narrative about San Francisco’s slow recovery with truly innovative ideas.”
Since the campaign launched in February, Farrell has unveiled comprehensive public safety policies to enforce a zero-tolerance policy for crime, grow the police force back to a record size, and drastically improve safety across all neighborhoods. He also called for a fentanyl state of emergency, more state law enforcement to close open-air drug markets, and released a recovery plan to address the City’s overdose crisis and save lives.
Recently, he released public education policies to improve student performance and outcomes, his vision to deliver universal childcare, and a bold housing platform to incentivize and speed up the construction of new affordable and middle-income housing across all neighborhoods.
Farrell is a born and raised San Franciscan and lifelong Democrat who lives in the Jordan Park neighborhood with his wife and three children. To get involved, or learn more about his campaign for Mayor, visit: www.markfarrell.com.