More Urban Gardens Coming to San Francisco’s Underserved Neighborhoods

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A popular community garden in San Francisco’s Ingleside Heights neighborhood has been so successful with residents that Peter Vaernet, the man behind that garden, wants to plant a new one just a few blocks away in Merced Heights, on 2 undeveloped acres of the grassy promenade known as Brotherhood Way.

Another garden may be a welcome addition for many reasons. This community is considered a food desert by the USDA. Nearly 15 percent of households in the area speak a language other than English at home, mostly Spanish and Asian languages, according to census data.

The recent closing of a large neighborhood grocery store left only one other full-service grocery in the area, but that store’s pricing is out of many families’ budget. Thus, folks may welcome a new garden as a cheap source for fresh, healthy food.

The potential new garden space is owned by the city’s Department of Public Works, and Vaernet will have to work with that agency and the San Francisco Parks Alliance to start the project that he’s tentatively named Sisterhood Farms. He estimates it will cost at least $300,000.

Zoning laws have been relaxed recently in California to allow for more urban agriculture. Still, Vaernet and other neighbors will have to be sure to take all the necessary steps to ensure the City can O.K. the garden and they can get to planting.

Read more about the garden efforts here.