About Us

San Francisco Public Works is one of the largest and most complex municipal operations in the City, with a workforce of nearly 1,800 and a $453 million annual operating budget. The department's active capital project portfolio exceeds $3 billion. As one of San Francisco oldest City departments, it is also one of the most forward-thinking.

As a 24/7 operation with a diverse set of responsibilities, Public Works touches every neighborhood in San Francisco. The staff designs and manages construction of civic buildings and streets, cleans and greens the right of way, maintains civic buildings; trains people for jobs, keeps the right of way free of hazards, paves the streets, repairs bridges and public stairways, expands accessibility and works at the forefront addressing some of San Francisco’s biggest challenges, including homelessness.

The department is divided into four divisions – operations, engineering, architecture/landscape architecture and finance/administration and the Director’s Office – and reports to the Mayor. The Public Works Commission and Sanitation and Streets Commission serve as oversight bodies.