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Yerba Buena Community Benefit District

EIN 80-0304869 · San Francisco, CA

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong90 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

ADVANCE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR RESIDENTS AND VISITORS IN THE YERBA BUENA NEIGHBORHOOD AND SAN FRANCISCO ON AN ONGOING BASIS BY FOSTERING A SAFER AND MORE SECURE COMMUNITY, ENHANCING ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY AND BEAUTY, AND REINFORCING THE VIABILITY OF OUR ECONOMIC BASE.

Income
$5.1 million
Spending
$4.5 million
Spent on programs
87%
Reserves
13.8 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 72%
Employees
6
Volunteers
75
Highest pay
$235,106, executive director

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Strong: 90 out of 100. Higher than 77% of charities in its peer group (community improvement, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 13.8 months of spending.

  • Debt

    10 of 20

    It owes 34% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 11% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 25% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    86% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 5 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 68% of charities in its peer group (community improvement, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    29 of 29 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Impact evidence

Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.

Programs described in its return (3)
  1. $1.6 million spent. CLEANING AND STREETSCAPE IMPROVEMENTS - THE CLEAN TEAM ("TEAM") WORKS TO IMPROVE THE APPEARANCE AND CLEANLINESS OF THE DISTRICT DAILY FROM 6:00 AM TO 10:00 PM. THE TEAM STEAM CLEANS ALL SIDEWALKS IN THE DISTRICT ONCE OR TWICE A MONTH, WORKS DAILY ON SIDEWALK CLEANING AND GUTTER SWEEPING, AND REMOVES TRASH ON A FREQUENT BASIS. THE TEAM ALSO PULLS WEEDS, CLEANS TREE WELLS, REMOVES GRAFFITI, AND PAINTS POLES AND MAILBOXES.IN ADDITION, GUIDED BY THE YERBA BUENA STREET LIFE PLAN, THE YERBA BUENA COMMUNITY BENEFIT DISTRICT (YBCBD) INVESTS IN PUBLIC REALM IMPROVEMENTS, INCLUDING GREENING, PUBLIC ART, PEDESTRIAN, AND BICYCLE IMPROVEMENTS, AS WELL AS ADVOCATES FOR REAL PUBLIC BENEFITS RELATED TO NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS.
  2. $1.6 million spent. SAFETY AND SECURITY - THE COMMUNITY GUIDES ("GUIDES") SERVE AS GOODWILL AMBASSADORS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. GUIDES PROVIDE INFORMATION, DIRECTIONS, AND CONNECT THOSE WHO NEED HELP TO THE RIGHT SOCIAL SERVICES. GUIDES REPORT MAINTENANCE ISSUES SUCH AS AREAS IN NEED OF CLEANING. GUIDES DO NOT PROVIDE EMERGENCY RESPONSE, BUT WILL CALL EMERGENCY DISPATCH TO REPORT ISSUES. UP TO SIX GUIDES WORK 6:00 AM TO 10:00 PM, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK. THE YBCBD ALSO ENGAGES ONE SOCIAL SERVICES SPECIALIST TO WORK WITH THE STREET POPULATION AND CONNECT THEM TO SERVICES.IN ADDITION TO EXISTING POLICE SERVICES, THE SAN FRANCISCO POLICE DEPARTMENT ("SFPD") PROVIDES OFFICERS TO THE YBCBD UNDER CITY ADMINISTRATIVE CODE SECTION 10B. THESE OFFICERS ARE FUNDED BY THE YBCBD AND WORK TEN HOURS PER DAY, SEVEN DAYS PER WEEK. THE 10B OFFICER PRIMARILY ADDRESSES QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES WITHIN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND WITHIN THE PURVIEW OF SFPD, SUCH AS ISSUING CITATIONS FOR DRINKING, TRESPASSING, PERMIT VIOLATIONS, LITTERING, AND PEDESTRIAN SAFETY INFRACTIONS. THE ADDITIONAL POLICE PRESENCE ADDS UP TO 70 HOURS PER WEEK OF POLICE TIME TO THE HOURS ALREADY PROVIDED BY THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT POLICE STATION.
  3. $711,497 spent. BRANDING, ACTIVATION, AND MARKETING - MARKETING PROGRAMS HELP STRENGTHEN THE AREA'S ECONOMIC VIABILITY TO MAKE IT MORE INVITING TO BUSINESSES AND VISITORS. THE YBCBD ESTABLISHED A NAME AND BRAND FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD, ALONG WITH A NEIGHBORHOOD WEBSITE THAT LISTS ALL BUSINESSES, EVENTS, AND NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS. THE YBCBD ALSO COORDINATES EVENTS THAT BRING PEOPLE TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.

    Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  2. Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.

    Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.

    Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  3. Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.

    On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.

    Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since March 2009.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.

    Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.

    Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.

Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.