SF Expands Safety Ambassador Program to Powell Street, Backed by $5M in Private Capital

Mayor Daniel Lurie announced the expansion of the Market Street Safe Corridor Program to Powell Street Station — one of San Francisco's busiest transit hubs — doubling down on a public-private safety model that has cut 911 calls by more than half. Separately, Lurie used the press conference to deliver an unequivocal reaffirmation of the city's sanctuary policies amid heightened federal immigration enforcement.

• DDC commits nearly $5 million to expand the Safe Corridor to Powell Street and keep HART Ambassador programs running in Union Square and Yerba Buena

• 911 calls down 53%, crime down 40% in Union Square and the Financial District since program launch

• 150,000 visitors flooded Union Square for a tulip event — triple last year's turnout

• 30 new office leases signed in Yerba Buena as foot traffic surges 20–25%

• Lurie reaffirms sanctuary policies, says SFPD will not assist federal immigration enforcement "for as long as I am mayor"

The basics: The Market Street Safe Corridor Program, first launched last summer at Embarcadero and Montgomery BART stations, deploys trained ambassadors who serve as a visible safety presence — connecting with visitors, supporting small businesses, and coordinating with police, fire, and crisis response teams. The program is now expanding to Powell Street Station, with the Downtown Development Corporation funding both the expansion and a full-year continuation of HART Ambassador programs in Union Square and Yerba Buena that were set to expire at the end of March.