Head West Market SFMTA Permit 2025

Head West Market Seeks 4 Sundays in Hayes Valley

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.


January 19, 2025

Dear Neighbors:

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.

we thank you for your interest – the submission period has ended 🙁


Deadline for comment submissions directed to ISCOTT SFMTA is Wednesday noon PST