Robin Williams Donates Retaining Wall

 

Comedian Robin Williams has donated $80,000 for a new retaining wall that will protect his Seacliff neighborhood home. The move prompted debate at city hall.

San Francisco is famous for making the personal political, and now the comedian Robin Williams is getting into the act.

And so Williams and his wife, Marsha, offered to donate $80,000 to fix a retaining wall and median strip near their home in the city’s Seacliff neighborhood.

City supervisor Gerardo Sandoval balked, fearing Williams would be getting preferential treatment. Sandoval said he didn’t want the city to go “down the slippery slope” of putting privately funded projects ahead of those needed in less affluent areas.

But after city staff assured him that Williams’ generosity would free up funds for poorer neighborhoods, Sandoval joined nine colleagues in voting unanimously Tuesday to accept the comedian’s gift.

City officials said the funds will be used for new benches, irrigation, planters and bronze memorial plaques.

A call to Williams’ publicist wasn’t immediately returned according to the Associated Press.