Historically, the Bayview neighborhood in the southeastern part of San Francisco has had some of the highest rates of home ownership among Black people in the city, but it’s suffered from deep neglect for basic infrastructure and generations of social, economic, and environmental injustices, leaving this neighborhood perpetually under-resourced. From the 1850s to the mid-1900s, this area thrived as its shoreline was used as a civilian and military shipyard, repair facility, and slaughterhouse. But these industries left significant environmental contaminates—impacting the land and local residents today—and alienated the whole India Basin neighborhood from their beloved waterfront.

The future India Basin Waterfront Park will transform three dilapidated and underperforming spaces at 700 Innes, 900 Innes, and India Basin Shoreline Park into a 1.7-mile network of stunning open space. The whole park will total over 64 acres and close a critical gap in the San Francisco Bay Trail. Over 35,000 residents that live within a mile of this park will benefit from everything this modern green space has to offer: walking paths, trails, community gathering spaces, water recreation, and more. The best part? India Basin Waterfront Park is being built with direct input from the people that love it most, reflecting their vibrant community, and providing lasting economic and health benefits for generations to come.

Working hand-in-hand with the India Basin and Bayview-Hunters Point (BVHP) communities, Trust for Public Land, the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department (RPD), and the San Francisco Parks Alliance (SFPA) are helping reconnect local residents to the water by building the most ambitious park in the city’s history. India Basin Waterfront Park will be both spectacular and crucial to the health of these San Franciscan communities. Beyond recreation, the revitalized park will offer diverse educational programming and economic opportunities for residents—all while reflecting the history and culture of the surrounding community. The community will share in the park’s success in real, tangible ways as outlined in our shared Equitable Development Plan:

• Cultivating an array of performing arts, and cultural programming focusing on the neighborhood’s Black, Asian, Latino, Samoan and Ohlone communities.
• Ensuring neighborhood residents receive ample training opportunities for construction and post-construction jobs at the park.
• Improving neighborhood access to the park through safe bike lanes, bike share stations, and improvement of stairways that connect public and affordable housing complexes with the shoreline.
• Exploring channels for alternative and inclusive community-led public safety systems to ensure the safety of park goers.
• An array of environmental education programs and new community gardens.
• A youth docent program and paid internship programs for neighborhood youth.
• Partnerships with local high schools for workforce training programs and connecting local youth with Bayview-Hunters Point artists.

The goal of this India Basin project is to create a world class park that serves as a model for equitable economic growth and provides opportunities for all residents. We hope it will set an example that park developments can have positive economic, workforce, cultural, artistic, and housing elements that benefit the whole community.

“The most significant unexpected benefit of the community engagement process has been the unique opportunity to envision a park plan that celebrates our diversity while honoring Black history. We have opened a conversation with our community that has empowered the voices of the folks that live and enjoy the space today. Together we are building a beautiful park for the future designed by the residents that live here now. It will be a joyous occasion to see the results.”
– Jackie Flin, Executive Director, A. Philip Randolph Institute (APRI) 

Download the India Basin Equitable Development Plan