By Hoodline
Tuesday, April 9th, 2019 4:46PM
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When it comes to variety and volume of local restaurants, San Francisco is no slouch. But which neighborhoods are winning the foot traffic war, and which up-and-comers are making the most headway in attracting diners? 

Hoodline analyzed data from SafeGraph, a dataset of commercial points of interest and their visitor patterns, to find out which neighborhoods have seen the highest volume and biggest percent change in foot traffic from January to February. 

Overall, SoMa continued to lead the pack in terms of attracting visitors to neighborhood eateries, with more than 70,000 visits to food and drink spots recorded in February, according to SafeGraph data. Meanwhile, Mission Terrace and Japantown each saw an upward trend in foot traffic to neighborhood restaurants, with greater than 6% growth in visits from January to February. 

Oasis Grill was one of the SoMa's highest-traffic dining spots in February, according to SafeGraph. Located at 200 Fourth St. (at Howard), the Mediterranean restaurant offers a menu of falafel, gyros, salads and shish kebabs, and caters to a strong lunch crowd.  

Though not typically considered a top foodie destination, Mission Terrace attracts the most foot traffic from residents of Excelsior and Bayview. Where are hungry visitors heading? According to SafeGraph data, Aloha BBQ and Taqueria Vallarta attracted the most traffic in the neighborhood in February. 

Located at 4935 Mission St. (at France Avenue), Aloha BBQ serves casual Hawaiian fare, from Spam musubi to Hawaiian barbecue to Kalua pork and more. Taqueria Vallarta, situated at 4697 Mission St. (at Persia Avenue), offers a classic menu of Mexican dishes, from tacos and burritos to enchiladas and tamales.  

Another trending neighborhood, Japantown, attracted 6.1% more restaurant foot traffic in February than in the previous month. One of the most-visited dining spots in the neighborhood was Benihana. Located at 1737 Post St. (at Webster), it's the SF outpost of the crowd-pleasing teppanyaki mega-chain that currently boasts over 80 locations worldwide. 

On the Bridge, located inside the Japan Center mall at 1581 Webster St., also saw among the highest visits in the neighborhood. It offers dishes such as katsu curry, Japanese seafood spaghetti, udon noodles and more.  

While SoMa is a hotspot for restaurant foot traffic, SoMa residents also loved to eat at North Beach restaurants in February, according to SafeGraph data. 

Tenderloin residents tended to visit the downtown/Union Square area to eat in February, and Tenderloin and SoMa coffeeholics visited Civic Center coffee shops the most.

"It used to be that the neighborhood was a quiet neighborhood with plenty of parking", comments one Mission Terrace neighbor.

With the growth of the population, the uptick of people driving to park to Mission Terrace to use public transportation, and the increase of adult children staying at home longer (among other reasons), those days of vast areas for street parking have fallen by the wayside.  Currently, there are several large-scale residential projects in the works; including a large development at the southeast (with limited parking included) and southwest (with zero parking included) corners of the neighborhood. [NOTE: NMTIA is working on getting a complete map of all proposed developments. A partial list can be found on our "Proposed Developments" page. Updates welcomed.]

However, there are other considerations which also impact people's lives in the neighborhood; this includes the cost of the annual permits (currently $136 per permit, and increasing rates for the 3rd or 4th vehicles per address), the concerns that people might try and use the alleyways for parking, the wishes that more people use their garages for parking (instead of for storage or living space), and the concerns with larger numbers of people living within single households. 

THE SFMTA PARKING PROGRAM

The methods and decision-making have varied for Residential Parking Permit (RPP). In some neighborhoods, local residents filed petitions, in others it was neighborhood councils that pushed for change, local businesses get into the action, and (as in our case) surveys may be collected. The end results also vary. Some neighborhoods have opted for parking meters, and if permits have been agreed upon the hours and length of time for each permit zone may also vary street by street.

In most parking-permit neighborhoods, two permits are issued per household at the base rate. Additional permits can be purchased at an increased rate. There are also programs to manage visitors, medical & childcare givers, business owners, active duty military persons, students, and more. Click HERE for further information.

DEADLINE LOOMING

While the survey was sent out to all District 11 residents, the collected information will be analyzed and (if warranted) decisions may be made on a smaller geographic basis. As just one example; if the majority of households in Excelsior proper opted in, and the majority in Mission Terrace opted out, then the Excelsior folks might get permits and the overflow cars might park in Mission Terrace... or the reverse could occur.

Deciding and implementing a parking program typically is a multi-year process.  Yet the deadline for residents to respond to the survey is soon (March 30th, 2019.)

Whatever residents want, the hope that enough neighbors turn in their mailed surveys or respond online (link HERE) so a deeper understanding of the wishes and desires of our neighborhood go into the final decisions.

If there are any questions about the survey, SFMTA requests that you reach out to them at InfoRPP@sfmta.com

Social media was all a chatter, Havelock Street was packed bumper to bumper, and people streamed in from all angles. That's right, the anticipation was finally over and Balboa Pool was to be open again on Saturday, February 23rd.

The swimming pool in Mission Terrace's Balboa Park was founded in 1959, had been in need of renovations and ADA accessibility upgrades. Funding was secured and the pool was closed back in October of 2016 to begin work for what was supposed to be a one-year project. Almost 2 years and 4 months later (delays largely due to disputes with PG&E) the pool was opening again... with much fanfare.

SF Rec & Park was on hand with free giveaways and people wanted through the new building. High above the swimming pool and enjoyed by spectators lining the pool, was an enormous mural titled All My Friends At Once, by artist Jason Jägel, funded but he city's two-percent-for-art funding, which included nods to the neighborhoods close to the pool.

Speeches were given by San Francisco's Mayor London Breed, District 11 Supervisor Ahashi Safai, NMTIA's Board Present David Hooper, and many more.

After the speeches were completed, Mayor Breed lead a countdown to the first plunge into the pool, to rousing cheers all around, followed by an impressive show by the San Francisco Merionettes, an award-winning synchronized swimming club formed in 1956.  This was followed by a free open swim for anyone who wanted to brave the crowds.

If swimming wasn't your thing, then no worries as there were plenty of outdoor activities as well; giant bubble-blowing, bean bag tosses, and a bunch house.

​All-in-all, it was a fantastic day for the neighborhood.

During a rainy Thursday morning in Mission Terrace, a car could be seen stopping by homes throughout the neighborhood; the driver jumping out into the rain to drop off Valentine's cards given by their fellow neighbors.

The "Spread Some Love" project began last year, with the goal of spreading positivity in the world by starting right here in our own neighborhood. The project started small, with just a handful of participants last year, yet more than doubling in size for 2019.

How the program works: In January, announcements are sent out via social media and email, alerting MT residents to the project. Participants were provided with an online form, which required the address of the participant (the person who wanted a card sent) and the address where the card was to be delivered, so that NMTIA could ensure card were being sent to & from MT residents. Participants had the option to add a special note if they desired. All cards were delivered by hand on Valentine's Day.

All-in-all, this year's project was a success!

Walking through Mission Terrace during the first couple of weeks in February, you may have noticed pieces of the sidewalk missing, with signs up saying "FRIENDS OF THE URBAN FOREST." (aka "FUF.")

FUF is an amazing San Francisco p501(c)(3) which helps individuals and neighborhood groups plant and care for street trees and sidewalk gardens in San Francisco. This "green infrastructure" improves our city by beautifying neighborhoods, cleaning the air, and reducing polluted stormwater runoff. Since 1981, FUF has brought communities together to plant more than 60,000 trees, totaling almost half of the city's street tree canopy.

On February 9th through the 11th, in partnership with Mission Terrace residents and Friends of the Urban Forest, more than 50 trees were planted in our neighborhood!

Thank you to everyone who participated in this event. Can't wait to see what it'll look like in 10 years! If you are interested in having a tree planted of a sidewalk garden installed in front of your house, reach out to FUF. It's easy and affordable!

On 01/15/2019, Redfin name Mission Terrace in San Francisco, as the 3rd hottest neighborhoods in the US for 2019. 

Of course those of us who have been lucky enough to live here, understand that the value of our neighborhood goes far beyond the price of houses here. Between our annual Pasta Dinner in the Alley, our Halloween block parties, Spread Some Love projects, Garden Tours, and all-around neighborliness (the likes of which this writer has not experienced in any other SF neighborhood), it' no wonder that people are starting to realize how great it is to live here!

FROM THE ARTICLE:
Mission Terrace, San Francisco, CAMedian sale price: $1,260,000
Median sale price for metro area: $1,340,000
Average sale-to-list price ratio: 116.5%
Percent of homes that sold above list price: 81.8%
“Mission Terrace is composed of picturesque homes, flat lots and quiet streets. It has plenty of commuter options and it’s close to several big grocery stores,” said Redfin agent Carlos Barrientos. “It’s become more desirable in the last year for a very simple reason: improvements to Balboa Park, an adjacent city park.”

The streets of Mission Terrace took Halloween to a whole other level this year! From the haunted house on Cotter Street that has been around for 30 years, to the blocked-off streets of Delano, San Gabriel, and Otsego, Mission Terrace is turning into a Halloween destination for the kiddos.

This year, the residents of Delano Street, secured a grant to enhance the festivities even further.  In addition to the trick-or-treating, activities included a photo booth, street games, a fire truck, and haunted house. More than 300 people were in attendance this year... triple the amount from just a year ago! 

Sponsored by Roxie Food Center, the Mission Terrace Improvement association was able to put on another wonderful neighborhood parade and picnic. Mary Harris was our Grand Marshall this year, leading the parade on top of a San Francisco Fire Department ladder truck. Very special guests included Mayor London Breed, District Supervisor Ahsha Safai, and State Senator Scott Weiner.

The parade started at 100 Capistrano, winded through the Mission Terrace neighborhood, and ended with a picnic at Balboa Park. The Neighborhood Empowerment Network was there to help educated the neighborhood (via a fun game) be prepared for emergencies, and entertainment was there for the kiddos.

Special thanks to our amazing volunteers including the Cayuga Improvement Association.

What a great day!

Lawn chairs, popcorn, kids, pups, soda, laughter, blankets, and cheers were all part of a fantastic 2nd annual Movie Night in the Park. Special thanks to the Dark Horse
​Inn for sponsoring this event for the neighborhood.