Frequently Asked Questions
About the Portola Neighborhood Association
What does the PNA do?
The Portola Neighborhood Association (PNA) is a volunteer-run organization dedicated to keeping the Portola neighborhood and business district healthy, vibrant, green, and beautiful. We support San Bruno Avenue merchants, run community events, maintain green spaces, install public art, and advocate for neighborhood improvements with city agencies.
What is the history of the PNA?
The PNA traces its roots to 2006, when the San Bruno Avenue Merchants Association helped establish the all-volunteer Portola Neighborhood Steering Committee in partnership with Bay Area LISC's Neighborhood Marketplace Initiative, a program supporting commercial corridors in underserved communities. With city backing from the Office of Economic and Workforce Development, the organization grew into a hub for streetscape improvements, community events, facade rehabilitation, green space projects, and public art. In 2012, the steering committee voted to rename itself the Portola Neighborhood Association. Today, the PNA actively seeks grants that serve merchants, residents, and the community at large.
What is the history of the Portola neighborhood?
Explore the full neighborhood history →
Get Involved
How can I volunteer with the PNA?
We'd love your help. Fill out our volunteer form and we'll be in touch — or just show up at a Portola Garden Club Work Day.
How can I join the PNA Board?
Board terms are two years. Members attend monthly meetings and contribute a minimum of four to eight hours of work per month. If you're interested, email us at hello@portolasf.org and tell us a little about yourself.
How do I bring a concern or project idea to the PNA?
For neighborhood concerns, your first stop is our local Supervisor's office — you can reach Supervisor Fielder’s staff at Fielderstaff@sfgov.org.
For project ideas, the PNA is driven by volunteers like you. If you'd like to spearhead something new, email hello@portolasf.org with a description of your idea and a sense of how much time you're ready to commit.
How can I donate to the PNA?
Donate here — your contribution supports green spaces, community events, and San Bruno Avenue beautification.
For Businesses & Property Owners
What does the PNA's San Bruno Avenue Corridor Manager do?
The Corridor Manager is an independent contractor funded through a grant from the San Francisco Office of Economic & Workforce Development (OEWD). They work directly with Portola merchants, property owners, and community members to strengthen the business corridor — connecting businesses to city resources, managing improvement projects like mural installations, and helping the PNA secure additional funding.
If you're a business owner or property owner on or near San Bruno Avenue, the Corridor Manager can help you access:
Facade improvement grants
Small business grants and financing programs
Connections with other corridor businesses and building owners
Partnerships for public art and beautification projects
How can I get help opening a business in the Portola?
Start with our list of available commercial properties, then reach out to our Corridor Manager at CM@portolasf.org — they can walk you through the neighborhood and connect you with resources.
How can I list my vacant commercial property?
You're welcome to submit your property for our available listings page, or hire a broker to assist with the full search process.
How can I get help installing a mural on my commercial property?
The PNA has supported mural projects across the neighborhood. Learn about our mural program →
Neighborhood Life
What's a good place to eat in the Portola?
San Bruno Avenue has a genuinely great range of restaurants — from dim sum and Cantonese BBQ to taquerias, Vietnamese sandwiches, and neighborhood bars. Browse the full directory
What's a good way to meet Portola neighbors?
Come to a PNA Garden Club Work Day — it's hands-on and welcoming
Attend a PNA community meeting — open to all neighbors, generally held quarterly
Join the neighborhood Nextdoor group
Where do I get a Portola t-shirt?
At PNA events.
How should I pronounce "Portola"?
However you say it, you're welcome here.
That said, if you want the history: when Italian and Maltese immigrants settled the neighborhood in the 1920s, they said "POR-da-lah" — stress on the first syllable, soft middle. That stuck, and many longtime residents still say it that way.
There's also a 1909 San Francisco Call article about a festival honoring explorer Gaspar de Portolá, where committee member James Rolph consulted linguists and declared the name "should be a crescendo, ending with a crash on the 'LA.'" Nobody really listened. SF Weekly went deep and KALW has a great segment on Bay Area place name pronunciations.
Streets & Safety
What about parking on San Bruno Avenue?
Parking is tight throughout San Francisco, and we hear this concern often. The PNA's focus and grant funding center on connecting businesses with city resources and supporting public transportation along the corridor — research consistently shows that walkable, transit-served business districts build healthier communities. If you have a specific parking project idea and want to explore it, email us at hello@portolasf.org and we'll do our best to connect you with the right organizations.
How do I report double-parking in the neighborhood?
Reporting through 311 gives the city the data it needs to increase parking enforcement on San Bruno Avenue. Read our guide on how to report double-parking to 311 → — it takes two minutes and makes a real difference over time.
Which San Francisco Police Department station serves the Portola?
The Bayview Station serves the Portola.