definition: POPOS

"San Francisco’s privately-owned public open spaces ("POPOS") have multiplied in the last twenty years, and as major new development is poised to begin downtown, they promise to become even more common. Taking the form of courtyards, plazas, rooftop gardens, and corporate atriums, fourteen POPOS have been created since 1985. San Francisco’s Downtown Plan enabled developers to build high density commercial development in return for providing spaces that were to be 'open to the public' during certain hours and provide amenities such as restrooms, shade, and protection from the sun and wind.

However, what appears to be win-win for developers, citizens, and open space advocates masks a deeper question: just how 'public' are these spaces?"

-- posted by the COMMONspace project

note: POPOS are increasingly common in cities, as zoning codes authorize the granting of density bonuses in return for providing open space accessible during certain times of the day to the general public.