Update
Following the hearing, the civil harassment petition described in our January 8 statement below was denied by the court. The court’s decision is consistent with what we stated at the time: documenting the conditions of a public street operating under a city permit is a legitimate form of civic oversight, not harassment.
This was always about our collective voice being heard and represented. It also reflects a broader question about whether residents and small businesses can participate in the civic process and raise legitimate concerns about how public space is being managed in their neighborhood.
It is also important to acknowledge the human toll this process has taken. For many in the community, including small business owners, residents and families, and those who have participated in good faith, it created real stress, uncertainty, and, at times, a chilling effect on participation. When basic civic engagement is met with legal action, it impacts more than just those directly involved. It affects who feels comfortable speaking up, and whose voices are heard.
That matters.
We also need to acknowledge a concerning reality: since last March, our repeated efforts to engage with the Supervisor’s office have been limited or dismissed, and this recent legal action has clarified that pattern and why it has persisted.
The petitioner reported spending $50,020.15 pursuing this civil harassment petition.
Original statement from January 8, 2026
We want to briefly address a situation that has raised serious concerns for our group and the broader community.
A civil harassment petition was recently filed in response to routine documentation of the Hayes Street closure on the 400 block — a public street operating under a city permit. At an initial court review, the judge rejected the core allegations and significantly narrowed the matter to a narrow, technical issue. There was no finding of harassment, threats, or improper conduct.
We are sharing this not to dramatize or litigate the matter in public, but to be transparent. Documenting public space and publicly issued permits is a basic form of civic oversight. When that activity is reframed as harassment, it raises a difficult but necessary question:
Has this gone too far?
Public streets belong to everyone. Oversight is not misconduct, and scrutiny is not a personal attack. We will allow the legal process to conclude and will share further context once it does.
Thank you for continuing to engage thoughtfully and in good faith.