About CAPA

Statement of Purpose

The Castro is a primary cultural area for the gay and lesbian community; it also serves as a place where people of diverse identities live, work, and play. We are committed to shaping the future of our neighborhood through planning and action, and building relationships with other neighbor-hoods and our city government. Working together as residents and merchants, we will honor the integrity of the Castro and promote respect, diversity, history, pride, rights, and responsibilities within our community.

Principles

We love the Castro as it is-and we can make it even better.

We will identify what works and build on it.

We acknowledge that change happens.

With a plan we can shape the future of our neighborhood.

The solutions to our neighborhood problems must not create problems for other neighborhoods.

Some problems are bigger than can be solved by one neighborhood alone.

All people are valued and welcome in the Castro.

We will address issues of unacceptable public behaviors in our community.

There is no us and them.

The Castro is an international symbol for lesbians and gay men. As such it is a travel destination, a regional recreation center, and a living neighborhood-all at the same time.

The golden age of the Castro is yet to come.

Neighborhood Planning Workshops

Communities often come together to brainstorm their problems and then propose solutions which can then be put into a plan of action. With the assistance of volunteer design professionals such as planners, architects, and landscape architects, CAPA organizes planning workshops in which the community's dreams and ideas for our neighborhood are put into a graphic format that is easily understood. The designers, with the help of local government agencies and neighborhood representatives, also contribute their expertise on the practicality of various proposals. Many of the identified problems of the Castro area have a physical aspect to them. Solutions to problems such as low-cost housing can be designed into a plan for the neighborhood. Improvements in street lighting, traffic flow, etc., can have indirect effects on other problems. Each workshop is a community-wide effort, seeking participation from residents, merchants, and visitors, as well as that of experts in the fields of homelessness, crime, merchandising, and other identified problem areas. Three previous planning workshops have resulted in several proposals for the future of the Castro. These are available to the public for discussion and comment. Public exhibits of the drawings and opportunities for members of the public to make further comments are planned. Special presentations are planned for neighborhood organizations and other interested groups.

Meetings

General meetings are held usually on the second Thursday, 7:30 PM to 9:00 PM, at Castro Meeting Room at 501 Castro (Bank of America building) 2nd floor. Elevator accessible.

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