January 21, 2026
SFMTA and ISCOTT:
We are writing to formally oppose the current application for four Head West Marketplace events in Hayes Valley in 2026.
As we’ve stated for years, permitting this event four times annually especially on Sundays during an ongoing weekend street closure inflicts significant, documented harm on local retail and small businesses. Our request is straightforward: limit Head West to no more than one date in 2026.
This is not a new position. We’ve submitted hundreds of letters, testified at multiple ISCOTT hearings, and outlined in detail how the current approach destabilizes an already fragile commercial corridor. We are now in our fourth year of advocacy on this issue, and not a single City agency has stepped forward to meaningfully engage with us or address our concerns. The result is a rigged process that privileges outside vendors and entrenched political actors while excluding those most impacted.
The burden of these Sunday events is especially acute because they build on the cumulative harm of the ongoing Friday and Saturday street closure. The organizer of Head West, a for-profit, Southern California–based operator, does not pay rent, does not contribute to local storefront infrastructure, and has made no effort to engage with the businesses he impacts. Yet through this permit process, he extracts tens of thousands of dollars per event while leaseholders are left to absorb revenue losses, reduced access, and street-level instability.
We want to be clear: this is not just about frequency. It’s about fairness, process integrity, and the City’s failure to balance competing needs. With continued alignment between the event organizer and groups advancing a permanent street closure agenda including HVNA/HVMC, this event now represents more than just a marketplace. It has become part of a broader push to reshape public space without consent or representation.
Last year, we warned that approving four dates in 2025 would set a dangerous precedent. Now, with the closure still unresolved, it’s clear those warnings were ignored. We are asking SFMTA/ISCOTT to demonstrate leadership and restraint this year. Please finally do the right thing and deny this harmful 4x frequency of Head West.
-HVS
This correspondence has been edited for clarity and conciseness. Routine greetings and contact details have been omitted; the substance of the communication remains unchanged.