Airbnb CEO donates $100M to SF parks, largest gift department has ever received
SAN FRANCISCO -- A $100 million donation to the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department that was announced Monday is being called the largest gift ever received by the city and county from a single donor.
The donor was billionaire Airbnb co-founder and CEO Brian Chesky, who started his company in San Francisco in 2007 with a few air mattresses to subsidize what he said were already high living costs in the city known for attracting tech talent.
The money will help speed up parks in development, keep pools and parks open longer hours, pay for a range of parks improvements and, ultimately, new parks, according to Mayor Daniel Lurie's office.
The money will be donated in two phases. The first phase will involve a $39 million contribution that will go towards five projects in the South of Market neighborhood, Mission District, Bayview-Hunters Point, Potrero Hill, and the Embarcadero.
Speaking with Lurie on Monday during a press conference at Golden Gate Park's Flower Conservancy, Chesky said that he felt an obligation to give back to the city that had contributed so much to his success.
"There is something truly special here in San Francisco," Chesky said. "I think that's why so many great companies emerge from this city. Much of my success, I attribute to the magic, and to the community, that is San Francisco."
Forbes ranks Chesky as the 234th richest person in the world, with a net worth estimated at about $13.3 billion, which increased by about $184 million on Monday.
Chesky called on other leaders who have built successful businesses in the city to reflect on their own obligations to the community and consider making meaningful contributions of their own.
He said he wanted to make parks a priority for his philanthropy because they serve everyone in a community equally and create real-life spaces to gather and enjoy in an era that Chesky said was being dominated by technology.
The city identified projects that needed critical dollars to speed up construction and work plans, which will make the funding immediately impactful.
Among the projects getting a first round of funding is Rachele Sullivan Park, in the South of Market neighborhood. The new park is planned on a half-acre parcel on 11th Street, between Natoma Street and Minna Street, that the city has already purchased.
The donation will allow the park to open in 2028 instead of 2031. It will feature a half-basketball court, fitness and play areas, shaded seating, and public art.
The pool at Garfield Square Park and Recreation Center in the Mission District will open on Sundays thanks to the donation.
Sarah Madland, San Francisco Recreation and Park Department's general manager, said opening the pool seven days a week was the number one request from families in the area. She said the donation would create 500 more swim hours a year.
"This is a game-changing investment in San Francisco's parks and people," Madland said in a statement. "It means long-awaited park projects move forward, more spaces for children and families to play, and stronger, more connected neighborhoods."
Jackson Playground, in Potrero Hill, will start construction in 2027 because of the donation. Renovating the park has been a priority in the neighborhood for over a decade, according to Lurie. It is anticipated to open in 2029 with a new playground, dog run, open space, and multi-use courts.
And the funding will close gaps in major projects that will help move them along, including the 10-acre India Basin Waterfront Park in Bayview-Hunters Point that is already under construction, and the 5-acre Embarcadero Plaza/Sue Bierman Park renovation that is scheduled to break ground before the year's end.
The Recreation and Park Department will work over the next year to identify projects for the remaining $61 million pledged by Chesky.
