Exploring San Francisco’s Vibrant Mission District
I keep writing this, but the Mission District is also one of my favorite places in the City. As a Latino, I find the Mission to be a great neighborhood for Latinx, located in the City’s sunbelt. It offers a lot, including great restaurants, shops, bars& cafes, as well as some well-known schools.
The Mission’s north boundaries are Market Street and Highway 101, mostly Dolores Street on the west, Cesar Chavez on the south, and Highway 101 on the east. I write “mostly” for Dolores Street because some maps show a “pop-out” area northwest of the neighborhood, including Church and Sánchez Streets as far south as 20th Street.
Housing
The Mission offers an extensive range of housing options, such as houses, apartments, condominiums, and Tenancies-in-Common (TICs) that are not specific to the Mission, but there are many in this neighborhood. For those new to the City, TICs are building co-ops. Two or more people officially buy and own a building together, but they make internal agreements for each party to choose and inhabit one of the units. After a few years of red tape and document preparation, the TIC can be converted into condominiums, with individually owned units, as per State law.
Safety
The Mission has undergone tremendous change over the last few decades. In the 1990s, when I first moved to San Francisco, the Mission had a negative reputation for safety. This reputation lasted a decade or two more, but then safety conditions improved. However, there are still areas and pockets in the neighborhood where it is unsafe. That said, these pockets have become much smaller. Additionally, the main commercial corridors, such as Mission and Valencia Streets, have become increasingly popular among the hip crowd, particularly Valencia. Therefore, these streets are usually busy, which has helped improve the crime situation.
For more information on crime, please visit the website www.spotcrime.com. The information here is continually updated. You can also contact the local police precinct for additional crime incident data if needed.
Getting Around
The Mission is probably the best-served neighborhood in the city in terms of public transit. For example, two BART stations can connect you to cities in the East Bay and down the peninsula. One of the BART stations is at 16th and Mission Streets, and the other is at 24th and Mission Streets. Additionally, several bus lines crisscross the neighborhood in all directions, including those that run up and down Mission Street from Bernal Heights to downtown. Go to www.sfmta.com for more detailed public transit information.
Biking is also a great way to get around since the Mission is generally flat. There are a couple of small “hills,” but nothing strenuous. Additionally, Valencia Street features great bike lanes and good bike parking. Go to https://www.sfmta.com/maps/san-francisco-bike-network-map to view the City’s bike lane map and plot your bike trip.
Shopping and Dining
Mission Street is the main commercial corridor for the Mission. However, other commercial corridors include Valencia Street, 16th Street, and 24th Street. Additionally, the streets that intersect these corridors feature commercial areas. In general, it is best to explore the neighborhood. There are numerous restaurants, coffee shops, bars, and other places to hang out, as well as plenty of shopping options, including furniture stores, art galleries, and clothing stores.
Dining is also a great experience in the Mission. Historically, this neighborhood in San Francisco has been home to a diverse range of cuisines, including Mexican, Salvadoran, Peruvian, and other Latin American options, as well as French, Indian, Thai, and other international flavors. Again, it is best to explore this neighborhood over time. For example, you can stop at a Mexican restaurant and “tamalería” for breakfast, have Vietnamese food for lunch, and dine at a French restaurant at the end of the day.
Parks and Recreation
Several small parks and squares are located around the neighborhood, including Franklin Square, situated on the corner of 16th and Bryant Streets. However, the main park in the Mission is Dolores Park on Dolores Street between 18th and 20th Streets. Dolores Park is a great space for lounging, walking around with your dog, and taking in the views from the park’s southeastern corner. There is also a great, newly renovated playground, restrooms, and tennis courts.
Schools and Libraries
Since the neighborhood is quite large, several pre-elementary, elementary, middle, and high schools are located within it. Therefore, it is best to research your child’s educational options by visiting www.sfusd.edu for more information, including enrollment requirements and dates. In addition, several high-quality private schools in the Mission are well known in the City, such as Friends Academy, Millennium, Alta Vista, and others, including Mission Preparatory School, a well-liked and popular charter school.
The main public library in the Mission is located at 300 Bartlett Street. In addition to the usual availability of books, DVDs, CDs, periodicals, etc., they have kids’ programs throughout the year (at normal times). The library building itself is worth visiting. It is a 1915 Beaux-Arts-inspired building that underwent a complete renovation in 1999.
Greening Projects
Author Bio
Jorge Romero-Lozano, PE, LEED AP, PMP, is Greening Projects‘ Executive Director and Founder. As a licensed civil engineer with a passion for planning, designing, and building green spaces, he provides both the technical expertise and the passion for envisioning potential green spaces and supporting neighborhoods, individuals, and other professionals who wish to improve their environments and engage their communities.
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