December 21, 2025
Attention SFMTA:
See conditions for this past weekend:
Friday December 19, 2025
Saturday December 20, 2025
This marks Week 54 of documented noncompliance on the 400 block of Hayes Street, and Week 4 under the renewed permit term (Permit No. 1316522). Despite the issuance of a new permit, conditions on the ground remain materially unchanged. The same operational failures documented under the prior permit continue to occur, including the absence of consistent on-site management, improper or unattended barricades, lack of a clearly maintained emergency access lane, and general disregard for basic permit conditions.
At this point, the continuation of these violations under a renewed permit term raises a fundamental concern: the permit renewal has not resulted in improved compliance, oversight, or accountability. Continued authorization of the closure under these conditions suggests that renewal alone is being treated as sufficient – absent demonstrated adherence to permit requirements or active oversight by SFMTA.
During yesterday’s citywide power outage, the Hayes Street closure created an artificial bottleneck under emergency conditions. The permit holder was unreachable, no on-site management was present, and residents were forced to intervene to restore basic circulation. This incident is not anecdotal; it is direct evidence that the closure fails under foreseeable emergency conditions and that the operational assumptions underlying the permit are unsound.
In addition, multiple witnesses reported emergency response interference on the afternoon of December 19. At approximately 4:00 p.m., an ambulance attempting to travel eastbound on Hayes Street was observed with sirens active, only to become stuck at the 400 block with no on-site personnel available to clear the closure. The vehicle had already encountered congestion backing up from the 400 block while attempting to navigate the 500 block, before ultimately being stopped entirely.
Shortly after 5:00 p.m., San Francisco Fire Department personnel were called to the 400 block to assist with access to a commercial storefront. Access was possible only because community members had already removed barricades not because required on-site management or permit conditions were being met.
The absence of a responsible, reachable operator during a citywide emergency reflects a dereliction of duty and care by both the permit holder and the agencies responsible for oversight. When a closure is allowed to persist without management, enforcement, or accountability, the risk is borne not by the operator, but by residents, businesses, and first responders.
Documented noncompliance persisting across permit terms, now compounded by demonstrated emergency failure, establishes that no meaningful enforcement standards are being applied to this permit. In the absence of enforceable standards, continued authorization is arbitrary, unsafe, and incompatible with the Shared Spaces program’s stated requirements. Under these conditions, permit revocation is not discretionary; it is required. At this point, continued authorization is indefensible. We again urge SFMTA to revoke Permit No. 1316522 without further delay and restore Hayes Street to its intended, lawful use.
This correspondence has been edited for clarity and conciseness. Routine greetings, scheduling notes, and contact details have been omitted; the substance of the communication remains unchanged.