Castro Cares

The Castro Cares Leadership Team is a unique community collaborative providing supplemental outreach and hospitality services throughout the district. These services are dedicated to the Castro, Upper Church, and Upper Market Street neighborhoods, (see CBD map) for the exact footprint), and are supplemental to the city’s homeless support services and the work of the San Francisco Police Department. They are funded through a grant from the Office of Economic and Workforce Development (OEWD) and donations from residents and merchants. You can reach these services by calling 415-471-7536. Always call 911 for an emergency.

Castro Cares is staffed with highly trained, unarmed, Community  Ambassadors.

• Community Ambassadors: Deployed 7 days a week, Community Ambassadors help create a more welcoming and vibrant district. Community Ambassadors provide social service outreach, wayfinding, hospitality, and an extra pair of eyes and ears on the street.  These goodwill ambassadors are easy to spot with bright yellow-green jackets, T-shirts, and hats. You can reach them by calling the Castro CBD’s dispatch number at 415-471-7536.

• Collaboration with Our Community and City Partners: The Castro CBD is always working closely with our community partners (Castro Merchants, Eureka Valley Neighborhood Association, Duboce Triangle Neighborhood Association, and District 8 Residents Task Force) and City Partners (Healthy Streets Operation Center (HSOC), S.F. Police Department – Mission Station, Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing) to ensure the City Departments understand the needs in the Castro, Upper Church & Upper Market and that we receive our share of city services. We also advocate with these departments to implement best practices in public safety and housing/shelter/support for the unhoused in the neighborhood.

The Community Ambassadors and cleaning services can be contacted by calling/texting 415-471-7536.

Example of services provided:

• Check-in with merchants
• Well-being checks and outreach with the most vulnerable on our street
• Enforcement of MPC No-Trespassing
• Deter negative street behavior
• Collaboration with city departments to resolve street-level issues and concerns
• Hospitality services to visitors
• Respond to calls for service
• Collaboration with Castro CBD Clean Team

Castro Cares Leadership Team

Overseen by the Castro CBD, the Castro Cares Leadership Team is a community collaborative with representation from:

• Castro Community Benefit District
• Castro Community on Patrol
• Castro Merchants
• Duboce Triangle Neighborhood Association
• Eureka Valley Neighborhood Association
• Hartford Street Neighbors
• Most Holy Redeemer Catholic Church
• SF LGBT Center
• St. Francis Lutheran Church

Castro Cares Reports