The Filbert Steps on Telegraph Hill — one of San Francisco's most iconic urban staircases and a legit tourist draw — are getting a cleanup. Great news, right? Sure. But it also raises the question we keep asking about this city: why does it take community volunteers and sporadic bursts of attention to maintain basic public infrastructure?

For the uninitiated, the Filbert Steps are a wooden and concrete stairway cutting through lush gardens between Sansome Street and Coit Tower. They're beautiful. They're historic. They're also the kind of asset that a well-run city would keep in pristine condition as a matter of course — not as a special event.

San Francisco's budget clocks in north of $14 billion annually. That's more per capita than most major cities on Earth. And yet, time after time, the upkeep of beloved public spaces falls to neighborhood groups, nonprofits, and dedicated residents who roll up their sleeves because City Hall can't be bothered.

To be clear: community cleanups are wonderful. Neighbors taking pride in their surroundings is exactly the kind of civic engagement we love to see. But there's a difference between neighbors choosing to beautify their block and neighbors having to do it because the city's Parks and Public Works departments are too bloated, too bureaucratic, or too busy with other priorities to handle the basics.

The Filbert Steps aren't some hidden alleyway. They're on every "Top Things to Do in SF" list. They bring foot traffic, tourism dollars, and goodwill. Keeping them clean and maintained should be a no-brainer line item — not something that depends on the goodwill of volunteers.

We're glad the steps are getting some love. We just wish the city treated its gems like gems instead of afterthoughts. When you're spending $14 billion and still relying on community cleanups for marquee attractions, something in the budget needs a harder look.