November 17, 2025
As many neighbors were focused on the SFMTA Shared Spaces permit renewal this week, we learned that the Hayes Valley Neighborhood Association (HVNA) simultaneously filed for a year-long amplified sound permit covering Friday and Saturday programming through November 2026 — with minimal notice.
Given the lack of outreach and the overlap with Tuesday’s street-closure decision, we submitted the following public comment to the Entertainment Commission:
HVS Public Comment (Submitted to the Entertainment Commission)
1. Outreach requirements were not met.
None of the organizations engaged with the Hayes Street Shared Spaces permit — including HVS and the Hayes Valley Small Business Association (HVSBA) — received notice. Weekend outreach along the block confirmed that numerous residents also received no notice. The applicant’s description of outreach does not match the lived reality of the corridor.
2. The filing is premature and procedurally inconsistent.
The sound permit would authorize a full year of amplified entertainment before the SFMTA Board votes on the underlying street closure. The two processes are intertwined. Approving long-term programming before the main permit is decided undermines process integrity.
3. Request to continue the item.
Given the lack of meaningful notice and the unresolved status of the Shared Spaces permit, we respectfully request that the item be continued until proper outreach is conducted and the SFMTA Board has issued its decision.
— HVS
Response from Entertainment Commission Staff
“The Commission will only take a vote on HVNA’s One-Time Outdoor Event permit if and when the SFMTA Board approves their street closure permit earlier that same day. If the SFMTA Board does not approve, or continues the item, EC staff will recommend continuing the sound-permit item to December 16, 2025.”
— Dylan Rice, SF Entertainment Commission
HVS Follow-Up to the Commission
We sent the following clarification to ensure the outreach issues and neighborhood realities are clearly understood:
HVS Reply:
Yes — we caught that. We want to reiterate one concern:
The neighborhood has been intensely focused on the SFMTA Shared Spaces hearing that determines whether Hayes Street will reopen. Against that backdrop, a year-long amplified sound permit for the same block proceeded with very limited notice. None of the organizations most engaged in the Shared Spaces process received notification, and for many affected neighbors, this filing fell entirely under the radar.
A public narrative has formed — shaped by how these processes unfold without broad dialogue — suggesting that everything is moving smoothly and with broad support. Our experience on the ground tells a different story. We have a strong pulse on neighborhood sentiment, and many were genuinely surprised by this filing.
The lack of notice contributes to a widening gap between the official story and the lived reality — which is exactly the gap our advocacy focuses on.
We appreciate this being included in the public record for Tuesday’s hearing.
— HVS
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.