Tompkins Stairs

The Tompkins Stairs exist on a stretch of land that the city of San Francisco officially refuses to acknowledge. On city maps, this block of Tompkins Avenue simply vanishes, leaving the hillside between Nevada and Putnam Streets as a phantom space that the municipal government declines to maintain. For years, this neglected area functioned as a dumping ground for trash and a source of constant frustration for the residents living along the hillside. Rather than wait for city intervention, the neighbors organized themselves to transform the wasteland into a vibrant garden and artistic thoroughfare. Today, this sixty-six-step climb is entirely managed and sustained by the local community, serving as a testament to what residents can create when they take responsibility for their own environment.