For over 15 years, the Hayes Valley Clubhouse has been held out as a “community center.”
In reality, it has never functioned as one.
After being rebuilt with public funding and support, the space was handed over under a “temporary” nonprofit arrangement that has now stretched well over a decade. During that time, neighbors have had no reliable place to gather, meet, or participate in civic life without navigating fees, restrictions, or limited access.
Now, with the current lease ending, this should be a moment to reset — to finally return the clubhouse to the community it was built to serve.
Instead, the City has indicated it is already working to identify another organization to take over the space.
That is not a solution. It is a continuation of the same model that has failed to deliver a true community space in Hayes Valley. It raises a simple question: who is this space being planned for — and why isn’t the community part of that conversation?
At the end of the day, the issue is simple:
Hayes Valley does not have a place for neighbors to come together — and it should.
The Hayes Valley Clubhouse was rebuilt with the intent and promise of being a beacon community center for Hayes Valley. That promise has not been fulfilled. What was described as a temporary arrangement has remained in place since the clubhouse opened in 2011 — with a year-to-year tenant in lieu of a staffed, community-integrated model that would support inclusive neighborhood use.
Over time, this model has not been neutral.
While the clubhouse has remained out of reach for the broader neighborhood, a succession of nonprofit operators have benefited from long-term, exclusive use of a publicly funded facility. Yet there has never been a meaningful public discussion about whether this model serves the neighborhood’s needs or fulfills the original vision for the clubhouse.
The result is a system where public space is effectively allocated behind the scenes, rather than made accessible to the people who live here.
We continue to advocate for bringing to life the vision this center was meant to serve. More updates to follow.