Executive Order Raises Concerns about Future of Presidio in San Francisco

The Bay Area Council today (Feb. 20) expressed strong concern about an executive order by President Trump that appeared to call for the elimination of the Presidio Trust, the federal agency established by Congress in 1996 to manage the 1,500-acre park in San Francisco and its conversion from a former military base. Bay Area Council CEO Jim Wunderman was Deputy Chief of Staff to then-San Francisco Mayor Frank Jordan in 1995 when he joined other supporters led by Rep. Nancy Pelosi in testifying before a Republican-controlled Congress to authorize the creation of the Trust.

In a statement responding to the Executive Order, Wunderman said:

“The shocking order to eviscerate the Presidio Trust is a tragic mistake that undermines decades of hard work and investment to create one of the most spectacular and beautiful urban open spaces in the world providing incredible recreational and cultural benefits to millions of visitors. “Forged through a public private partnership with bipartisan support, the Presidio serves as a national model for how government and the private sector can work together to accomplish great things. The Presidio has been nothing short of a phenomenal success, not just for San Francisco but everyone who visits and enjoys the park’s many wonders, as well as the many businesses and residents who call it home. I was proud to stand with Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi and many others in testifying before Congress to urge its creation. We implore President Trump to reconsider this destructive executive order and we will be doing everything we can to ensure the future of this jewel by the Bay.”