Avenue Greenlight launches $3M sidewalk power-washing program

Avenue Greenlight, a nonprofit that funds neighborhood improvements, is launching a new initiative to power-wash sidewalks across seven neighborhoods, funded by philanthropists Chris Larsen and Michael Moritz.

The Facts

Pressure washing is coming to sidewalks in the Tenderloin, Mission, Sunset, Richmond, Chinatown, Fillmore, and North Beach thanks to a new initiative by Avenue Greenlight. Philanthropists Chris Larsen (Ripple co-founder) and Michael Moritz (Sequoia Capital partner and chairman of the Standard) are funding the $3 million initiative. Mayor Lurie joined the announcement in the Mission and praised the public-private partnership.

The Context

San Francisco has long struggled with dirty sidewalks, especially in commercial corridors and the Tenderloin and Mission neighborhoods. Despite good work from the Department of Public Works, the city has not been able to keep up with the demand for sidewalk cleaning. Even at 16th & Mission, which is power washed every day, the sidewalks on the surrounding streets and allies are often filthy.

Avenue Greenlight is known for funding the installation and maintenance of string lights along commercial corridors like Valencia and Polk.

The GrowSF Take

We love to see this kind of public-private partnership solve issues in the City, and applaud Chris Larsen and Michael Moritz for funding the effort. As a resident of the Mission near 16th & Mission, I'm particularly thrilled to learn that the side-streets like Julian and Hoff will be included in the cleaning effort. And we are disappointed, though not surprised, to see Mission District Supervisor Jackie Fielder skipped the event despite it being held in the Mission.