Photo by SFMTA Photography Department
Introduction
The Western Addition - Geary Boulevard Community Study will develop transportation and land use concept designs that rethink the urban renewal-era Geary Expressway and advance a high-quality multimodal, mixed-use, transit-oriented area to connect the Japantown and Fillmore/Western Addition neighborhoods and promote community livability. The study will engage neighborhoods through a community-led outreach process to develop goals, evaluation criteria, and scenarios and by establishing a Community Council with representatives of the Black, Japanese, and Jewish communities that were displaced when the underpass was constructed, as well as with newer community members.
Recommendations will include multimodal network connectivity and safety improvements, long-term transportation expansions and enhancements, development feasibility analyses for potential affordable housing sites and economic development strategies, anti-displacement strategies, and concept-level urban design guidance. The study will launch at the beginning of 2026.
We have formed a Community Council with representatives of the Black, Japanese, and Jewish communities to guide the project and support community engagement efforts.
Contact
westernadditiongeary@sfcta.org
Public Engagement
Jewish Walking Tour and Community Study
- Sunday, July 19, 2026, from 1 to 2 p.m.
- JCRC, Congregation Sherith Israel, and the Jewish Community Library are hosting a Jewish Historical Walking Tour on July 19th at 1pm to educate attendees about the Jewish history of the neighborhood, as well as share the draft goals for the Western Addition Geary Boulevard Community Study, and collect suggestions for improvement to Geary Boulevard existing infrastructure.
- This event will take an hour and a half and leave from the Jewish Community High School. The Tour will be led by Howard Freedman from the Jewish Community Library. Bagels and light refreshments will be provided by Boichik Bagels and JCRC at the start of the tour.
- Everyone is welcome, but registration required. Please click HERE to register.
Nosh, Nori and Soul: A Cultural Happy Hour
- Wednesday, July 29, 2026, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
- Nosh, Nori & Soul is a community happy hour bringing together Jewish, Japanese and Black neighbors for an evening of food, conversation and local history. Through signature dishes from each tradition and brief talks from guest speakers, we'll explore how these three communities have shaped the Western Addition — and discover the stories, traditions and people behind the food we share.
- Guests will enjoy small bites from Wise Sons Jewish Delicatessen, Minnie Bell's Soul Movement and a local Japanese-owned business, while meeting neighbors and building new relationships across communities. The evening will also feature a brief presentation by Howard Freedman, Director of the Jewish Community Library, who will share the rich history of the Western Addition and the communities that have shaped it. His remarks will complement the Jewish Walking Tour of the Western Addition that he'll lead Sunday, July 19, offering another opportunity to explore the history of one of San Francisco's most storied neighborhoods. We are pleased to welcome Dr. Kim Nalley from the History Department at California State University, East Bay.
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