How a locked bulletin board reveals a long-standing pattern of exclusion in Hayes Valley.
It was billed as a public resource: a new bulletin board installed on Parcel K in the heart of Hayes Valley, just steps from the now-controversial 400 block street closure. But like many recent “community” initiatives in the neighborhood, what was framed as public and inclusive quickly became private and controlled. In reality, the board is overseen by two interconnected organizations: the Hayes Valley Neighborhood Association (HVNA) and the Hayes Valley Merchants Council (HVMC) an extension of HVNA, with overlapping leadership, messaging, and agendas. One figure in particular, Lloyd Silverstein, a member of both, has actively enforced that control by removing flyers, silencing dissent, and falsely claiming the board is private property.
The so-called “Community Board” installed, curated, and policed by a small circle—isn’t just locked behind glass. It symbolizes something deeper: a culture of gatekeeping, silencing, and political control. What began as a display case has become a mirror reflecting the deliberate exclusion embedded in how power operates in Hayes Valley.
A Pattern Cemented During the Pandemic
When the board first went up, we taped flyers to the outside glass:
“Community Board?: Take down the locks and glass… allow free posts, free speech for all community groups.”
They were removed almost immediately.
Residents attempting to engage were dismissed or accused of trespassing. HVNA members claimed the board was private, that only those who “paid for it” could use it—even though it sits on publicly leased land (Parcel K), under City oversight.
This isn’t just about a bulletin board. It reflects a broader pattern—one that began during the pandemic, when HVNA was handed disproportionate influence over neighborhood decision-making.
As San Francisco agencies scrambled to implement emergency programs, departments like SFMTA and Planning outsourced community input to whoever was politically convenient and aligned. HVNA filled that vacuum. Rather than fostering inclusive engagement, the City made HVNA the default. They were tapped for grant endorsements, cited in reports, and allowed to present themselves as the sole “representative voice” of Hayes Valley. Their leadership shaped feedback loops for programs like Shared Spaces, influenced the street closure, and stacked “advisory coalitions” with their own allies. Meanwhile, dissenters were muted in public meetings, removed from mailing lists, and shut out of the processes that reshaped the neighborhood.
As one longtime community advocate wrote in a formal complaint to City departments in August 2023:
“HVNA President Jen Laska and Bob Barnwell… have routinely censored my comments and openly prevented me from participating in their public Zoom meetings. This behavior is unacceptable. It is undemocratic and self-serving in the pursuit of their own narrow agendas.”
“Community Board” Timeline of Exclusion
- August 2023: HVNA installs the “Community Board” on Parcel K without public notice, outreach, or usage guidelines. Days later, a handwritten message appears on the back: “Open up the board.” A records search confirms no permit was filed prior to installation—breaching the site’s lease terms. The issue is escalated to the Mayor’s Office of Housing. HVSafe members witness HVNA board member Lloyd Silverstein removing flyers while falsely claiming the board is on private property.
- September 2023: A permit is filed retroactively after community pressure. It lists a $3,500 project cost yet HVNA’s financial disclosures show $8,000 allocated, raising transparency concerns.
- Fall 2023 – Spring 2024: Flyers posted by HVSafe with dissenting views are repeatedly removed. The board remains locked. Residents attempting to engage are discouraged or ignored.
- August 24, 2024: The HVNA’s agenda is again on full display on the board, promoting their narrative of a car-free Hayes Street—now rebranded as the “Hayes Promenade.”
- November 10, 2024 – Present: A continuance of propaganda is on display. HVNA uses the board to promote the street closure as a series of “special events,” and specifies that priority posting access is reserved for paid members of HVNA and HVMC, further solidifying control.
We Raised the Alarm. City Hall Did Nothing.
In 2023, from the outset before the board became a visible source of neighborhood tension we raised concerns that it would be used to exclude, not represent. And we were right. HVSafe formally alerted City officials and submitted detailed written concerns:
- The board had been installed without permits, violating Proxy’s lease;
- It was falsely labeled a “community board” while being exclusively controlled by HVNA and HVMC;
- It was being used to promote aligned agendas while silencing all others.
As one message put it:
“As it currently stands, both HVSafe and HVSBA have zero right or privilege to post to this bulletin board. The overarching concern is that the groups who do have control are able to freely promote their initiatives under the guise of ‘community.’”
Rather than address the issue directly, the Real Estate Division and Supervisor Dean Preston’s Office asked HVSafe to propose a “creative solution.” We did exactly that: we proposed a modest compromise—a half-letter-sized, permanent placement on the board listing contact information for HVSafe and HVSBA. No counter-flyers. Just an acknowledgment of other neighborhood stakeholder groups so people could connect.
“Considering the future of Parcel K hangs in the balance… we believe a public-facing acknowledgement of the other two city-recognized neighborhood groups in Hayes Valley is an acceptable compromise.”
That request was ignored.
To this day, the board remains under exclusive control. Dissenting perspectives are still removed. And the misleading title “Hayes Valley Community Board” remains unchanged—projecting unity where no consensus exists.
The Bigger Picture
This isn’t about flyers or glass cases. It’s about who gets to define “community.” For years, HVNA has used its perceived legitimacy to dominate public platforms, shape narratives, and silence nonconformity. That includes who gets heard at City Hall, who gets cited in media coverage, and who gets erased from civic decision-making. So when other neighbors, merchants, and residents speak up? They’re ignored just as HVNA has long ignored anyone who challenges its control. From a locked bulletin board to a closed-door planning process, the playbook is clear: consolidate influence, curate feedback, claim consensus, and shut the door behind you. When one group defines “community” as whoever agrees with them, the result is not civic engagement—it’s civic erasure.
>>> See our documented real-time post outlining the timeline, correspondence, and community response to the “community board” installation.