How a locked bulletin board reveals a long-standing pattern of exclusion in Hayes Valley. It was billed as a public resource: a new bulletin board installed on Parcel K in the heart of Hayes Valley, just steps from the now-controversial 400 block street closure. But like many recent “community” initiatives in the neighborhood, what was framed as public and inclusive … Read post
We sent the following letter to the office of the Mayor, Supervisor, and the Real Estate Division regarding the new Hayes Valley “Community Board“.
Due to the controversial intersection of parcel usage, lack of understanding for the stalling of housing development on Octavia, exclusivity of use and the Hayes Valley Freeway Commemoration Project, in an effort to garner more insight, we’ve obtained copies of the leases for Parcel R & S. We’ll update you here with more developing details.
Due to the controversial intersection of parcel usage, lack of understanding for the stalling of housing development on Octavia and the Hayes Valley Freeway Commemoration Project, in an effort to garner more insight, we’ve obtained copies of the leases for Parcel K & L. 1. City and County of San Francisco and Proxy Development, LLC Lease for Parcel L dated … Read post
What began as a temporary pandemic closure in 2020 has stretched into its fifth year. Somewhere along the way, the City stopped asking if the street should reopen and started inventing new reasons to keep it closed. The most powerful of those reasons arrived in 2023 under a single word: “activation.” The Turning PointWhen the permit came up for renewal … Read post
Hayes Street Temporary Closure Extension Today’s ISCOTT hearing confirmed what we have been saying for years: this closure has morphed into an experiment that defies logic to continue at this frequency. What began as a temporary measure has become a recurring disruption sustained by politics rather than performance. After nearly five years of “temporary” operation, the committee denied the request … Read post
For years, the Hayes Street closure has been described as an “experiment.” But experiments are meant to teach us something — not divide a neighborhood or drain the lifeblood of its small businesses. After five years of trial and error, the lesson is clear: this hasn’t worked. It’s time to move past the talking points and start telling the truth … Read post
Last updated: October 22, 2025 At‑a‑Glance Familiar with this issue? You can skip ahead → click here for meeting details Key Findings Bottom line: A program that relies on deferring enforcement, sidelining stakeholders, and privileging politics over public trust cannot be renewed in good faith. These findings make clear that the Hayes Street closure cannot be justified. Renewal would only … Read post
The closure of Hayes Street has affected small businesses, residents, and the whole neighborhood. But most people only know one side of the story. This page gives you a quick overview — and links to more background if you want to explore further. What You’ll Learn 📬 Want to Stay in the Loop? Sign up for updates or share how … Read post
The Hayes Street closure was supposed to be temporary. Instead, it’s become a politicized experiment with no accountability one that hurts small businesses, fuels division, and defies logic. Here’s why it’s time to reopen Hayes: 1. It was never meant to be permanent.The closure began as a short-term pandemic response. Those conditions no longer exist. 2. Use of the space … Read post