The for Profit Southern California based Head West Market seeks a fast track permit approval process for 2025 despite no consensus at the neighborhood level and an apparent collusion with efforts by the HVNA for a permanent street closure on Hayes Street.
Head West Market Seeks 4 Sundays in Hayes Valley
permit renewal update
Update: June 26, 2025
🚧 Head West 4th Date – Status: Delayed
At today’s ISCOTT hearing, the proposed 4th event date for Head West in Hayes Valley was continued following a request from the San Francisco Fire Department, citing concerns about emergency access. The item is now on hold, with a likely return in mid-July.
During public comment, several Hayes Valley stakeholders spoke with clear and candid urgency about the ongoing damage this event and the policy framework enabling it -has caused. We reiterated the financial harm, the strain on small businesses, and the ongoing exploitation of a loophole in the SFMTA permit process.
This is an event that a consistent group of stakeholders has repeatedly flagged as harmful yet the City’s continued lack of effort to relocate it to a more appropriate venue remains perplexing. There was also pointed acknowledgment that ISCOTT has once again stated that our core concerns fall outside their scope. As we made clear today, remedying this will now need to happen beyond this process and we intend to pursue that.
Jimmy, the event organizer, did not sound pleased with the outcome. He expressed frustration over the lack of clarity and felt the delay was biased or “ominous.” To that, we say: we also want insight. We’ve been asking for a fair process and an even playing field for well over three years. The City’s continued insistence on allowing this event at this level of frequency… is an overreach that has persisted for far too long. We know exactly what it feels like to be caught off guard by decisions that ignore us.
Communications June 25, 2025
Read our pre hearing letter to SFMTA and ISCOTT
UPDATE June 23, 2025
Head West was already granted three event dates in Hayes Valley this year — but the push for a 4th date is back. Despite overwhelming opposition from neighbors and small businesses, we’re now facing another permit hearing:
Hearing Date: Thursday, June 26 at 9:00 AM
Deadline to Submit Letters: Wednesday, June 25 at 12:00 PM
This for-profit event has already caused tens of thousands in losses to local merchants — yet SFMTA continues to advance it through a process that disregards both economic harm and community input. For this reason, we are once again calling on SFMTA to deny any additional dates for Head West in Hayes Valley.
UPDATE: May 10, 2025
On May 8th Head West was granted its 3rd event date for the year however its 4th date was denied. We are anticipating another hearing for the 4th date.
UPDATE: May 7, 2025
Read our position
Communications May 7, 2025
Read our pre hearing letter to SFMTA and ISCOTT
UPDATE: May 3, 2025
Head west has applied for permit approval for 2 more dates.
SFMTA ISCOTT AGENDA for the upcoming hearing.
UPDATE: January 23, 2025
At today’s hearing, Head West received approval for only 2 dates.
We anticipate another round of permitting will be forthcoming to address their desire to add 2 more weekends.
We will update you here with any further developments.
Communications January 22, 2025
Read our pre hearing letter to SFMTA and ISCOTT
January 19, 2025
Dear Neighbors:
your continued support is appreciated
A SFMTA ISCOTT hearing is slated for this Thursday at 9 am for a proposed Head West event venue permit approval; if approved this event will occur 4 times this year in Hayes Valley.
We’ll get straight to the point …
unfortunately since advocating and reporting in both 2023 and last year an array of issues with the current status quo permit process for this event, no significant progress has been made. As mentioned in our Summer Roundup we do remain hopeful that an agreement on terms can be had at the community level with the new leadership (meeting dates are pending). That being said, we are demanding there be a 60 day hold put in place on this matter.
While SFMTA cites Head West’s expressed need to “begin selling vendor space” as a reason to expedite the scheduling of this hearing…our research indicates that in the event the permit process yields a change in approved dates Head West’s “Marketplace Cancellations” policy addresses this sufficiently. It’s also worth noting that historically this permit has never been heard in January.
We view the sanctioned promotion of outside retail vendors as a direct threat on our small business operators. This event is run by a for profit business at our neighborhood expense. Each time this event occurs it results in direct financial loss to businesses in Hayes Valley. A major concern with what is happening here is that the same group (HVNA) who is the permit holder of the Hayes Street Closure is also a recipient of financial kickback’s from Head West; Head West is applying for 4 Sundays thereby extending the already harmful 2 day recurring street closure (Fridays and Saturdays). SFMTA ISCOTT admits it cannot adjudicate these specific concerns because it is beyond their purview and scope which underscores the need to escalate this matter. For these reasons this matter needs to be put on hold.