By Da Lin
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SAN FRANCISCO (KPIX) — A prominent nonprofit tasked with improving the city’s parks and open spaces is under fire after being accused of mismanaging millions of dollars intended for playground construction, including at Crane Cove Park in the Dogpatch neighborhood, where local families have waited years for promised play areas.
The San Francisco Parks Alliance (SFPA), a nonprofit that works with city agencies and donors to fund public space projects, is accused of diverting donations meant for specific projects to cover general operating expenses.
One of the largest donors, the Baker Street Foundation, contributed $3 million to the organization to build two playgrounds at Crane Cove Park — one for toddlers and another for older children. But years later, neither playground has materialized.
“The money that we donated was supposed to go to a [playground] here and a [playground] over there for the children in the neighborhood,” said Baker Street Foundation board member Nicola Miner, standing on the empty lot where the playgrounds were meant to be built.
Miner said she learned only recently that $1.9 million of the donated funds had reportedly been spent on general expenditures.
“I wanted a park here, that was what our money was for. The money was not for general operating expenses. And so, I just feel a real sense of betrayal,” she said.
For Miner, the greatest loss is felt by local families who had counted on the playgrounds for their children.
“The fact that they took money away from families, I’m speechless. I actually can’t even believe somebody would do that,” she added.
Nearby residents share her frustration. RJ Andrews, who lives just two blocks from Crane Cove Park, said his family has been waiting since plans were first announced over six years ago.
“When [Crane Cove Park] broke ground, we were so excited. Even more excited to learn that there’s going to be a playground coming. And that was a long time ago. That was six, seven years ago when the first plans came out. And that pad has been sitting empty since the park opened in 2020. And since 2020, we’ve grown a family,” Andrews said.
His son, Atlas, just celebrated his fourth birthday at the park on Sunday. Andrews and his wife are now expecting their second child in a few weeks.
“We have a lot of great, new parks [in this area],” he said. “None of them have playgrounds. So to go to a playground, we actually have to take a bit of a trek.”
The Parks Alliance had previously announced that the two playgrounds, along with a new dog park, would open in June. However, with much of the funding gone, construction has not begun.
“Disappointment,” Andrews said simply.
The San Francisco Chronicle recently reported that SFPA used at least $3.8 million that had been earmarked for specific public projects to instead cover its own operating costs. The organization’s former CEO and CFO have since departed. In a public statement, the new CEO, Robert Ogilvie, acknowledged the missteps.
“SFPA is working hard to correct the errors of the past and begin a new era of transparency and fiscal accountability with our Community Partners and with the City and County of San Francisco,” Ogilvie stated. “We are looking broadly at options to stabilize the San Francisco Parks Alliance.”
But that response isn’t enough for Miner.
“I haven’t heard them apologize at all,” she said.
Miner is now calling for a criminal investigation and said the public deserves a clear accounting of where the money went.
“I don’t think there’s going to be [a playground] here for a while,” she added.
She has already filed a complaint with the California Attorney General and said she plans to file one with the San Francisco City Attorney as well. Whether a criminal investigation will be launched remains unclear.
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