FAQ

The East Cut CBD is your neighborhood steward and advocate, dedicated to keeping the district clean, safe, and vibrant. Beyond providing 24/7 street services, we champion placemaking—from small pop-up events in POPOS and activations at The Crossing at East Cut to larger initiatives like Downtown First Thursdays and the future East Cut Sports & Dog Park. Our work includes transforming underutilized spaces, such as turning the former Temporary Transbay Terminal into The Crossing, launching public art projects like East Cut Electric, and enhancing neighborhood character with efforts like the East Cut Community Garden.

The name The East Cut is a nod to the 1869 Second Street Cut, a massive engineering project that leveled Rincon Hill to create a direct route between Mission Bay and Downtown to facilitate the transport of goods. Today, the name reflects the district’s evolution—where history meets a dynamic, modern neighborhood. This neighborhood encompasses the entire area “East of the 2nd Street Cut”.

Our East/West boundaries are generally defined as the east side of 2nd Street to The Embarcadero, and the North side of Mission to Harrison streets. The boundaries are determined by parcels that pay the annual East Cut CBD special assessment.

The East Cut CBD provides clean & safe services throughout the neighborhood 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Our dispatch line is monitored at all times. You can call or text for service at 415-543-8223. Our services team will typically respond to requests within one hour.

The East Cut team conducts daily outreach to unhoused individuals in the district. When making contact with an individual, we first perform a welfare check to see if any immediate needs can be met. Our team does not have the authority to physically move people; only SFPD and the Sheriff’s Department have the legal authority to move individuals. We aim for voluntary compliance and have found the most success when simply being friendly and consistent in our contacts.

The East Cut offers plenty of ways to take a break and explore the neighborhood. Grab coffee from one of our many local cafés, enjoy a meal at a neighborhood restaurant, or visit Salesforce Park and The Crossing for green space and activities. The neighborhood is also home to regular events, from outdoor fitness classes to block parties like Downtown First Thursdays. For a quiet escape, explore one of the district’s 40+ Privately Owned Public Open Spaces (POPOS)—hidden rooftop gardens, plazas, and courtyards perfect for lunch with coworkers or a midday reset. Use our Open Space Inventory to find one near you.

The East Cut is growing, and there are plenty of ways to be part of it! If you're a local business owner looking to expand downtown—or know someone who is—let’s talk. We have vacant ground-floor spaces ready to be filled and activated to keep our neighborhood lively and dynamic. We also offer volunteer opportunities for individuals and corporate groups. Companies like DocuSign and Kilroy regularly join us for neighborhood cleanups and beautification projects, and we’re always looking for more hands to help. For those interested in shaping the future of The East Cut, our committee meetings on topics like parks and greenspace, marketing and communications, and Salesforce Park are open to the public. Or, just stop by and say hello—we're always happy to connect at 528 Folsom St.

At this time, new buildings cannot join The East Cut CBD, as the district was established in 2015 with a 15-year term. However, we will apply for renewal in 2030, and we hope more property owners will recognize the value of our services and choose to get involved. Expanding the district would allow more buildings to benefit from our cleaning, safety, and activation efforts—helping to make The East Cut an even stronger and more vibrant neighborhood.