Carroll City Council Approves First Reading Of East Street Vacation For Kuemper Campus Expansion

The city is moving to vacate a portion of East Street to facilitate Kuemper Catholic's planned campus expansion.

Published on Feb. 27, 2026

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The Carroll City Council is taking steps to vacate a portion of East Street to allow Kuemper Catholic School to expand its campus. The council held a public hearing on the matter and unanimously approved the first reading of the required ordinance. Kuemper plans to break ground on the project next month and have the expanded campus ready for students by fall 2028.

Why it matters

The vacation of the public street will enable Kuemper to carry out its planned campus expansion, which is a significant investment in the community's educational infrastructure. However, the decision to release publicly owned land has prompted some council members to call for additional public input before finalizing the process.

The details

The stretch of East Street being considered runs from the northern end of Kuemper's campus south to the northern edge of St. Anthony Regional Hospital's campus. During the public hearing, a council member raised questions about who would be responsible for buried utilities if the street is vacated. Kuemper's president said a two-week delay in the process would not significantly impact their construction timeline, and he provided an update on the project plans, including that the existing St. Lawrence building will be repurposed to house parish programs and offices.

  • The Carroll City Council held a public hearing on the East Street vacation on February 23, 2026.
  • The council unanimously approved the first reading of the required ordinance on February 23, 2026.
  • The second reading of the ordinance will appear on the March 9, 2026 agenda.
  • Kuemper Catholic plans to break ground on the campus expansion project next month (March 2026).
  • Kuemper's expanded campus is expected to be ready to welcome students by the fall of 2028.

The players

Dave Bruner

The Carroll City Attorney who outlined the multi-step process for vacating the portion of East Street.

Jason Atherton

A Ward 2 Councilman who asked about responsibility for buried utilities and requested slowing down the process to allow for more public input.

Aaron Kooiker

The Carroll City Manager.

John Steffes

The President of Kuemper Catholic School, who provided a project update and said a two-week delay would not significantly impact their construction timeline.

Jeff Cayler

An At-Large Councilman who asked about the future of the St. Lawrence building.

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What they’re saying

“We must not let individuals continue to damage private property in San Francisco.”

— Robert Jenkins, San Francisco resident (San Francisco Chronicle)

“Fifty years is such an accomplishment in San Francisco, especially with the way the city has changed over the years.”

— Gordon Edgar, grocery employee (Instagram)

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This case highlights growing concerns in the community about repeat offenders released on bail, raising questions about bail reform, public safety on SF streets, and if any special laws to govern autonomous vehicles in residential and commercial areas.