The 22nd Street Jungle Stairs Project began in 2012 as a community effort to clean up the abandoned hillsides and stairs between Diamond and Castro Streets. With proceeds from two Community Challenge Grants and two Public Utilities Commission Community Garden grants, and fiscal sponsorship from the San Francisco Parks Alliance, our group of neighbors grew to over 20 people, and we sponsored numerous work days to collect trash, prune trees, establish irrigation, plant native shrubs and trees, install signage, kiosks, and a mural by local artist fnnch. As a result of our work the stairs are better lit, safer, and attractive, and we have grown our sense of a local community, closing our work sessions with barbecue and conversation. Our group plans to apply for a Community Challenge Grant to install a colorful mural on the massive retaining wall at the top of 22nd St. We also hope to replace deteriorating gates on the western staircase up from Diamond St. and to fill in the gaps in our landscaping efforts on both sides of the hill.
