SFSU Senior Seminar 2007

2008 Urban Studies Senior Seminar (URBS 680) at San Francisco State University

Urban Studies Senior seminar students worked on twelve projects for ten clients during the spring 2008 semester in two separate sections. The projects were selected through an RFP process (see RFP 2008). They presented PowerPoint slides of their findings to clients and BSS College faculty on April 30th and May 5. See syllabi for group1 and group 2. Poster.

Group 2 (Pamuk)

1. Neighborhood Advisory Council Best Practices: Recommendations for San Francisco’s Western SoMa (Client: Western SoMa Citizens' Planning Task Force) Like many neighborhood advisory committees around the country San Francisco’s Western SoMa Citizens Planning Task Force wants to maintain an ongoing role in the land-use and planning decisions that will affect their neighborhood now and well into the future. Western SoMa Citizens Planning Task Force has approached the Senior Seminar class for assistance in researching best management practice surveys of other American cities with neighborhood advisory boards, committees, or councils that have been authorized to work on implementation efforts for an equitable, healthy, and sustainable community vision or plan. Based on their research of best management practices of other task forces around the nation a three person student project team developed a matrix to compare the level of participation, the organizational structure and the effectiveness of neighborhood committees. The team used study findings to make recommendations to the Western SoMa Citizens Planning Task Force.

2. Documentation of cultural contexts in SF's Mission District (Client: San Francisco Planning Department) The San Francisco Planning Department has not released an extensive analysis of the Mission District since the early eighties. The area’s demographics have since changed and along with this change the culture has also been reshaped. Now, in 2008, the SF Planning Department wants to document the importance of the Mission District’s historical and present-day cultural contexts. To do so a three person student team approached the project from two different angles: 1) early Latino culture and commerce; 2) mural culture. Through interviews, lots of assigned readings, field-work and the documents the student team documented important changes that have occurred in the Mission. The team created a detailed report on what buildings, murals, establishments and cultural contexts needs to be preserved in this neighborhood.

3. Commercial Gentrification Prevention through Small Business Attraction. (Client: Bay Area LISC) San Francisco is comprised of individual neighborhoods, each with a different culture. While some neighborhoods are thriving, others have become littered with liquor stores, adult entertainment, and empty storefronts. Bay Area LISC seeks to create vibrant and thriving business corridors. An important aspect of successful revitalization is filling vacant lots in low-income neighborhoods. A four person student team created a survey to understand what contributes to successful expansion of businesses in other Bay Area neighborhoods. In addition, a small business attraction toolkit was developed for local non-profits interested in attracting small businesses.

4. Streetscape improvement plan for San Francisco’s Central Market Community Benefit District. (Client: Central Community Benefit District) The Central Market Community Benefit District (CMCBD) is exploring the development of a comprehensive streetscape improvement and implementation plan for San Francisco's Central Market Street. These plans will be used to reverse the current deterioration of the neighborhood and to restore Market Street to its former grandeur. The streetscape improvement plan will address issues of public safety for street population, increase social service outreach, improve aesthetic appeal, cleanliness, and increase community identity. Four Senior Seminar students researched best practices on enhanced lighting, street furniture, vacant storefront beautification, murals on boarded-up buildings, and utilization of vacant kiosks.

5. Resource and Referral Database for San Francisco's Small Businesses. (Client: San Francisco Office of Economic and Workforce Development) In November 2007 San Francisco voters approved Proposition I, which called for the creation of an Office of Small Business and a Small Business Assistance Center to focus on the needs of San Francisco small businesses. A three person student team assisted the San Francisco Office of Small Business in creating three deliverables: 1) a resource and referral database; 2) a user-friendly resource guide; and 3) a set of questions to address small business needs and goals.

6. Planning for Growth in North American Cities (San Francisco Planning + Urban Research Association -- SPUR) The population in the United States is projected to reach 400 million by 2050. This increase of almost 100 million in the next 40 years brings with it concerns of where to house them and where will they work. Urban areas are likely to receive most of the new growth, as has been the case for the last 50 years. A team of two students researched census data to find statistics about current demographics of seven metropolitan regions in North America. City and government websites will be of paramount importance, as their proposed projects will tell how the city is expecting to grow. Additionally, the team reviewed the existing city plans for information on policy tools. The team analyzed and interpreted the steps that other cities are taking and how that can relate to the city of San Francisco.

Group 1 (Rubin)

The Hague, Netherlands.

Photos by Pamuk, October 2007.

(see 2001 student work; 2002 student work; 2003 student work; 2004 student work; 2005 student work; 2006 student work; 2007 student work)