February 2, 2026
Week 60 – Continued Noncompliance and Inequitable Use of Public Right-of-Way
See closure conditions for this past weekend:
Friday January 30, 2026
Saturday January 31, 2026
This marks Week 60 of documented noncompliance on the 400 block of Hayes Street. Conditions observed this weekend remained unchanged from prior weeks. Required permit conditions continue not to be met, including maintained emergency access, posted No Parking signage, on-site management, lawful public notice, and enforcement of prohibited uses. Unpermitted commercial activity, including the Signature-branded tent, was again present, alongside vehicles occupying the public right-of-way.
At this stage, further itemization adds little. The pattern is established, continuous, and undisputed on the record.
What warrants emphasis this week is the inequitable use of public space that this closure now represents. The street remains closed for limited, lightly attended events while nearby, purpose-built public spaces such as Linden Street, Patricia’s Green, and Proxy remain available and underutilized. These locations are expressly designed and permitted for cultural programming and events. Yet Hayes Street continues to be closed, weekend after weekend, to serve a narrow set of interests with demonstrably low public benefit.
This raises a fundamental question of equity and stewardship:
Why is a functioning neighborhood commercial corridor being withheld from general use to accommodate minimal-turnout events that could lawfully occur elsewhere, while small businesses absorb the economic burden and residents absorb the traffic disruption, access loss, and day-to-day impacts of an unnecessary closure?
After 60 consecutive weeks of noncompliance, the continued authorization of this closure is no longer defensible as a matter of public policy. It reflects a failure of administration and an inequitable allocation of public space. We again urge SFMTA to revoke Permit No. 1316522 immediately and restore Hayes Street to its intended, lawful use.
This correspondence has been edited for clarity and conciseness. Routine greetings and contact details have been omitted; the substance of the communication remains unchanged.