Main menu

About Us

Learn who we are, what we do, and how to keep in touch.

Get Involved

Find info on volunteering, neighborhood activities, jobs and internships.

Projects

Browse our hundreds of projects around the city.

Services

Locate and access the many vital services we provide.

Organization

Public Works' organizational chart.

Public Works and Sanitation and Streets Commissions

 

Director’s Office

Director of Public Works - Carla Short

Serves as the hub for policy, communications, government affairs, commission relations, emergency management, strategic initiatives, administrative hearings, housing delivery coordination, public records, the racial equity initiative and staff engagement.

Communications and Public Affairs  - Policy and Communications Director, Rachel Gordon - The office keeps the public and staff informed of the department’s services, projects and programs through mass media, social media, websites, community meetings and other outreach activities. The team produces reports, the monthly community and employee newsletters, briefs elected officials and troubleshoots constituent concerns. The team also oversees media relations and organizes press conferences and special events to celebrate project milestones.

Emergency Management Program - Manager, vacant - The program works to continuously improve our capability to prepare for, respond to, and recover from both natural and human-inflicted disasters.

 

Building Design and Construction

City Architect and Deputy Director for Buildings, Ron Alameida
 
The Buildings Division provides comprehensive planning, project management, architecture, building construction management, contract support and compliance monitoring, hazardous materials investigation and abatement, materials testing, quality assurance, and control services for the development of new buildings and the modernization of existing buildings, facilities, and public urban landscapes. Most of this work is often informally referred to as the Department’s “vertical construction.” The Building Design and Construction Division includes the following bureaus/programs (2):
 

Architecture - Manager, Julia Laue - Provides programming, architectural design, site and master planning, conceptual design, and construction support services. The Bureau’s architects work closely with client City departments and community groups to create architecture within the urban context and reflects the uniqueness of San Francisco neighborhoods. This bureau is included within Building Design and Construction box shown in Exhibit 1 above.

Construction Management - Acting Manager, Laura Tanigawa - Implements project plans overseen by the Project Management, Architecture, and Landscape Architecture bureaus. This group of technical staff safeguards the construction and delivery of capital projects and ensures compliance with the project design.  Construction Management staff review the materials used in construction, oversee environmental services, and enforce all construction and building codes. This bureau is included within Building Design and Construction box shown in Exhibit 1 above.
 
Landscape Architecture - Manager, Jennifer Cooper - Provides design services and oversees them into construction, including renovation and new construction, for City Departments. Landscape architecture projects include streetscapes, plazas, green infrastructure and storm water management, parks, and recreation projects, and design of any outdoor spaces associated with public building projects throughout San Francisco.  This bureau is included within Building Design and Construction box shown in Exhibit 1 above.
 
Project Management - Manager, vacant - Delivers major building capital projects from planning, design, and regulatory approval, through construction. The bureau delivers a variety of major building projects on behalf of City agencies and includes the stewardship of major capital single building projects as well as overarching programs related to emergency services and public safety. Project management manages many of the City’s capital bond programs, including the Earthquake Safety and Emergency Response (ESER) Bond.
 
Project Controls and Services - Acting Manager, Jun Caranto - Provides specialized services, such as materials testing, contract preparation, site remediation, and contract management, with a  focus on buildings, infrastructure, institutional, and transportation projects. 


 

Infrastructure Design and Construction

City Engineer and Deputy Director for Infrastructure, Albert Ko
 
The Infrastructure Design and Construction Division provides engineering planning, project development, design, construction management, and consulting services for a range of capital improvement projects and maintains the City’s right-of-way infrastructure, including streets, structures, sidewalks, curb ramps, and streetscapes. Most of the work of this division is often informally referred to as the Department’s “horizontal construction.” The Infrastructure Division includes the following programs/bureaus:


Engineering - Acting Manager, Patrick Rivera - Provides technical services in the following engineering disciplines: hydraulic, civil, electrical, mechanical, and structural. Each of these groups plan and design technical work for infrastructure and building projects for Public Works and other City departments.

Construction Management - Acting Manager, Ed Yee - Implements the project plans designed by Project Management and Engineering and other City agencies’ technical staff and safeguards the construction and delivery of capital projects by providing professional construction management and inspection services and enforcing all applicable codes.

Project Management - Acting Manager, Michelle Woo - delivers major infrastructure capital projects from planning, design, and regulatory approval through construction. The bureau delivers a variety of major public right of way infrastructure projects on behalf of Public Works and other City agencies.
 
Street-use and Mapping - Manager, Nicolas Huff - Ensures that City sidewalks and streets are safe and accessible by permitting and inspecting the use of the public right of way, including the installation and inspection of sidewalk.



 

Finance and Administration

Deputy Director for Financial Management & Administration, Bruce Robertson
 
The Finance and Administration Division includes administrative units that provide budget, capital planning, analytical, performance management, contract administration, and information technology support services for the Department. The costs of the Division are accounted for in the City’s budget system under “General Administration,” as well as reflected as overhead charges to the Department’s other divisions. The programs within the Finance and Administration Division include:
 

Finance - Manager, Jennifer Marquez - Oversees budget preparation; capital planning, analysis, and reporting; grants research and administration; accounting, and contract administration. Finance also prepares analyses and produces reports to implement and manage the Department’s projects and programs. This includes the creation and monitoring of the annual budget; preparation of an annual indirect cost plan; participation in bond authorizations and sales; development of the capital plan; and grant proposals. Accounting responsibilities include reviewing and entering financial and purchasing transactions; preparing grant billings and account analyses; recording of construction in progress and entering information on fixed assets, collecting revenues; disbursing funds; and, guiding funds through required procedures until final liquidation. Contract Administration is responsible for advertising bids; distributing plans and specifications; receiving bids; processing documents; handling bid protests; awarding contracts; and, ensuring compliance with insurance, bonding and licensing requirements.

Planning and Performance - Manager, Alexandra Bidot - Monitors key activities of the agency to improve the quality of services delivered as well as support the creation, monitoring and measurement of the department's Strategic Plan.

Human Resources - HR Director, Karen Hill - Includes University of Public Works. University of Public Works is our in-house training and education program. Launched in 2013 and expanded in 2014, the university offers a variety of courses to improve our employees’ technical skills and provides a forum where staff can learn about cutting-edge and effective strategies in the areas of engineering and architecture, workplace safety, technology, emergency management, construction management and more.

Information Technology - Chief Information Officer, Kevin Lin - Designs, programs, operates and maintains all department-wide automated information systems and equipment. Services include process analysis and planning; software development, configuration and implementation; network and hardware installation; technology operations; help desk and security; and software support and system compliance functions. 

 

Operations

 
Deputy Director for Operations, DiJaida Durden
 
As the most public-facing branch of the department with a citywide reach, Operations delivers key services around the clock to ensure the City is kept clean, safe and resilient through street cleaning, tree care, landscaping services, road repair and the maintenance of City buildings and structures. The community engagement team runs greening and cleaning volunteer programs to enhance the public right of way and boost civic pride. The workforce development team runs apprenticeship programs and also oversees grant programs, including block sweeping and the Pit Stop public toilet program.
 

Building and Street Repair - Acting Superintendent, Maura Wayne - Provides professional construction, repair, and remodeling to City-owned facilities; provides emergency-repair services 24 hours a day to ensure that Police, Fire, and other public safety operations are fully functional; and oversees paving and street repair work, including patch paving and filling potholes, as well sewer repair, which includes brickwork. 

Central Operations - Manager, vacant - Includes the Office of Community Engagement, which runs community programs, including Graffiti Watch, Community Clean Team, Adopt-a-Street, urban harvesting, and street parks. The office also oversees the Outreach and Enforcement Team and the Department’s apprenticeship programs, and oversees the Pit Stop public toilet program.

Street Environmental Services - Acting Superintendent, Jonathan Vaing - Cleans streets and curbs using mechanical street sweepers, removes graffiti, adds, removes, and replaces litter receptacles, and oversees manual cleaning work crews. Although sidewalk maintenance remains the responsibility of property owners, the bureau sweeps and cleans sidewalks in heavily used commercial corridors and steam cleans human and dog waste and other biohazards. 

Urban Forestry - Acting Superintendent, Nicholas Crawford - Responsible for median maintenance, tree planting, and maintenance of all street trees. In addition, the bureau’s Cement Shop repairs sidewalk and medians and builds curb ramps.