Feel Good Friday - SFBA Bench Collective

Today’s Feel Good Friday organization is inspired by something I saw in my neighborhood this week. Let’s learn more about the SFBA Bench Collective.

Photo from sfist.com

The SFBA Bench Collective, as in San Francisco Bay Area, is a volunteer-led initiative founded by Darrell Owens and Mingwei Samuel, who were frustrated by a lack of seating along bus corridors with high ridership. To combat this, they formed the SFBA Bench Collective as a way for communities to help themselves.

As they explain on the website, “the Bench Collective is decentralized collaboration of local residents who build, install, and maintain much-needed benches, mainly at bus stops.” In recent weeks, I’ve seen 6 benches pop up in my neighborhood in Oakland, giving people waiting for the bus a place to sit while they wait.

The cost for materials to construct a bench runs around $70 and there are detailed guides on the website that provide step by step instructions. If you don’t think you have the skills to build a bench you can adopt a bench. That means you’ll visit your bench on a weekly basis to ensure it is safe, to buff any tags, and to pick up trash. The Bench Collective lets you know the best spray paint colors to buy to cover any graffiti.

While most people who see and use the benches are in support of them, official reaction has been varied. The City of San Francisco has raised concerns over maintenance and liability, while the Richmond City Council recently passed a permitting process that would allow community members and groups to install benches at bus stops throughout Richmond. With over 70 benches installed in the East Bay and more popping up in San Francisco, cities are going to have to figure out how they want to respond. 

If this inspires you to respond and provide some much needed relief to people waiting for the bus, there are several ways you can get involved. Request a bench, build a bench or adopt a bench. You can also make a general donation, be sure to mention SFBA Bench Collective in your contribution message, or support a GoFundMe raising money for artists to decorate the benches installed on Mission Street in San Francisco. Power to the people!