Why We Keep Showing Up

A reflection on advocacy, frustration, and the failed policy behind the Hayes Street closure. We never imagined we’d have to fight this hard for fairness. Like many others, we simply cared about our neighborhood-its businesses, its streets, and the people who live and work here every day. But once the aim evolved to keeping the street closed, and the impacts … Read post

Hayes Street Closure: Bad for Business Worse for the Planet

A Street Closure That Fails the Climate, the Community, and Common Sense You’ve probably heard the pitch: closing streets is good for the environment. Fewer cars, more walk-ability, climate wins. But here’s what actually happens when the 400 block of Hayes Street is closed and why it undermines the very goals it claims to support. Let’s be real: Hayes Valley … Read post

Why You Should Care About What’s Happening on Hayes Street

Update (Dec 2025):This piece was originally published in May 2025. More than six months later, the issues raised here remain unresolved — and in many cases have intensified. Subsequent permit renewals, “activation” programming, and political messaging have reinforced the same pattern described below. Hayes Street is more than just a place to eat or stroll, it’s a working commercial corridor … Read post

Immediate Action and Inclusion Demanded on Hayes Street Closure

May 22, 2025 SFMTA, SFCTA and Supervisor Bilal Mahmood: We write to follow up on our recent letter (below), which outlined urgent concerns about the Hayes Street closure…chief among them: ongoing noncompliance, lack of transparency, and the exclusion of the broader community from shaping its future. We’ve learned that an event has been announced for tomorrow, Friday, May 23rd, promoting … Read post

Week 20 • Hayes Street Temporary Street Closure Permit No. 1091787 Noncompliance

April 28, 2025 Attention SFMTA: Road block conditions and permit violations for this past weekend have been documented here:Friday April 25, 2025Saturday April 26, 2025 {includes welding activity} Permit violations include but not limited to: We also want to notate that city property Parcel K/Proxy and Parcels R &S (Hayes Valley Art Works aka HVAW) sat idle while an event … Read post

Hayes Street Closure Activity April 26, 2025

Saturday April 26, 2025 11:35 am Adjacent Amenities: Patricia’s Green, Hayes Valley Art Garden Parcel S, Parcel K/Proxy, Linden Living Alley, Slow Page Street, Koshland Park, Page Laguna Park 5:20 pm