United Playaz Breaks Growth for New Community Center 

On Thursday, May 30th, a historic milestone marked SOMA. We celebrated our neighbors triumph and joined up with some of San Francisco's finest to break ground on the new community center. Just two doors down from United Playaz' first location on Howards Street, their commitment to better serve the community and stay ten toes down is in full effect. 

The Community Center, a project that embodies the collective spirit and vision for a brighter future, aims to be more than just a building. It will be a hub of activity, learning, and growth for everyone in SOMA. SOMA Ambassador Supervisor Edwin Moore, who plays a big role in attending workshops as well as volunteering at United Playas. 

"It's going to be a resource community center built for literacy and re-entry services and everything else in-between that the community needs," said Rudy Corpuz Jr., Executive Director of United Playaz said.

What To Expect? 

• Multi-purpose Event Spaces: Flexible rooms that can be used for community meetings, workshops, and social gatherings.
• Educational Facilities: Classrooms and computer labs to support lifelong learning and skill development.
• Fitness and Recreation Areas: A full sized basketball court will be placed on the roof with the help of the Golden State Warriors once the time comes. 
• Youth and Rehabilitation: Dedicated spaces for after-school programs along with rehabilitation projects. 
• Art and Culture Initiatives: Studios and galleries to foster creativity and cultural exchange

Building Together, Growing Together 

"This groundbreaking is more than a construction kickoff; it’s a celebration of our shared commitment to building a stronger, more connected community. Speaker Emeritus Nancy Pelosi made an appearance to present a $4 million check from the U.S. Congress. 'This building will dispel fear and isolation and replace them with hope, community, and peace,' Pelosi said. 'This building will be a manifestation of the respect that we have for the dignity and worth of every person. It is our responsibility to help meet their needs and to understand the resource that they are to the community.'"

Doing The Work Now For A Better Tomorrow 

The City of San Francisco says this $20 million expansion was made possible because of a total of $15.4 million in federal, state and city support. 'The fact that they are here today and doing this work, and want to do this work and want to help change and save lives, is extraordinary,' Mayor London Breed said. 'You don't get this kind of combination of support anywhere else, I think, in this city.' 

The center is projected to be open by February of 2025 and we are excited to see the outcome of our neighbor's success.