In 2008, a group of Tenderloin neighborhood mothers, youth and community leaders came together to create the Yellow Brick Road, an eleven-block sidewalk mural illuminating a network of safe routes for children. The

, operating under the umbrella of the Tenderloin Community Benefit District (TLCBD), remains a robust community-driven coalition working together to help children and seniors move safely through the neighborhood each day. But the Yellow Brick Road, and the optimism and empowerment it signals, faded long ago.

Today, we’re thrilled to be working with TLCBD and the Tenderloin Community to bring back the Yellow Brick Road in a new, enduring form. Taking the learnings from the pilot program, the renewed Yellow Brick Road will extend to the full 13 blocks of the current Safe Passage route, and offer opportunities to integrate complementary programs, such as Safe Haven and

. It also will build upon citywide programs including and the , and help to focus infrastructure improvements such as increased street lighting.

On December 14, in response to a

in street violence and other safety risks in the Tenderloin, Mayor Breed announced an to bring some stability back to the neighborhood while local groups continue manage long-term stewardship. A renewed Yellow Brick Road is just one piece of the comprehensive strategy needed to provide residents with the healthy and safe neighborhood they deserve.

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