July 10, 2025
Good evening SFMTA and ISCOTT:
Now that the 4th Head West date has been approved, we want to be clear: this pattern cannot become the norm in 2026. We had hoped and worked diligently to address the 4x frequency this year…but we remain trapped in a loophole that Head West continues to exploit. For three years, we’ve submitted hundreds of letters and offered testimony hearing after hearing, yet the concerns of businesses along Hayes and Octavia are brushed aside in favor of outside promoters and a narrow circle of aligned voices. The optics today were telling: a Supervisor’s aide speaking in support, reinforcing the perception of preferential treatment for HVNA and its allies. This alignment has effectively shut out the broader neighborhood including HVS and HVSBA — from any meaningful role in shaping these decisions.
What City Hall fails to recognize is the compounded harm in Hayes Valley: a prolonged weekend street closure (which we continue to advocate to end), an Entertainment Zone expansion moving forward without full community input, and a patchwork of recurring events — all while many open spaces sit underutilized. The result is an unbalanced public space strategy that undermines sustained economic activity and threatens the long-term health of the corridor.
It’s important to note: prior to 2020, this event operated under “Urban Air Market” and was held twice a year. In 2022, the same organizer returned under the new branding “Head West” and doubled his presence to four dates annually. That year, we reached out directly to him to understand his plans and raise concerns about the increased frequency. His response was matter-of-fact and left no room for dialogue. When it became clear there was no willingness to address local impacts, we mobilized the community in 2023. This has been a measured and sustained effort, not a reactionary campaign. We are also weary of the growing tension surrounding this event …a dynamic set in motion during COVID and only escalated since. The event owner does not pay the high costs we do to live and operate in Hayes Valley; yet his events extract from the corridor while leaving businesses to absorb the fallout.
Since ISCOTT has repeatedly stated it cannot arbitrate the economic and operational harms raised by small businesses, this issue no longer belongs in front of ISCOTT. We are deeply troubled by its characterization of itself as neither an enforcement nor a regulating body – a stance that raises serious questions about its role and accountability. If ISCOTT lacks the authority to meaningfully assess impacts or deny permits when harm is clear, what purpose does this process serve? This is not just a failure of governance. It is an abdication of responsibility that leaves neighborhoods like Hayes Valley trapped in a cycle of rubber-stamped approvals. Continuing to route this issue through a forum that openly acknowledges our concerns are “outside its purview” is a disservice to the community and perpetuates a process that has proven both ineffective and inequitable.
We also reject the notion that HVNA should remain the default stakeholder for event coordination and permitting input. Their narrow alignment with outside promoters and repeated financial ties highlight why this arrangement is no longer credible or fair. The City must recognize that privileging a select group while disregarding broader stakeholder impacts risks crossing into disparate treatment under City permitting practices. We are asking now for a clear commitment: limit Head West to no more than one date in 2026. This is not a new ask; we’ve raised it repeatedly. Without a baseline, there is nothing to stop the organizer from increasing frequency unchecked. This is a reasonable and necessary step to restore balance and fairness in a corridor that has borne the brunt of failed policy for too long.
Linden Street, a living alley, should remain the natural venue for any events HVNA/MC wish to champion. But instead, these efforts continue to intrude on the needs of businesses along the main corridor. Hayes Street must be prioritized for the businesses and residents who depend on it every single day. It’s time to acknowledge that continuing to privilege select interests while disregarding broader stakeholder impacts is neither sustainable nor defensible.
This letter serves as our proactive approach to get ahead of this issue for 2026. As stated here, we will not go through this cycle again next year. It has already consumed an unreasonable amount of time, resources, and energy – both for us and for SFMTA. Please acknowledge this position and we look forward to your cooperation in ensuring a different outcome for the Hayes Valley corridor in 2026.