Stop the Hayes Valley Entertainment Zone Backroom Deal

June 13, 2025 — What Just Happened, and What’s Next
If you think this couldn’t happen in your neighborhood, think again.

CLICK HERE to send your letter now » to stop a 20 block Entertainment Zone in Hayes Valley Proper

On June 2, Supervisor Bilal Mahmood quietly introduced a sweeping amendment at the Rules Committee to reclassify 20 blocks of Hayes Valley as an “Entertainment Zone” — the largest in San Francisco.

No public notice
No management plan
No inter-agency oversight or formal process
Not even listed on the agenda
Just a press stunt on our closed street (this happened on May 23, 2025)

This was a backroom maneuver to turn a contested weekend street closure into a permanent, city-codified booze district — embedding open-container drinking, amplified events, and sidewalk takeovers into a dense residential neighborhood with over 9,000 people. On June 10, the Rules Committee approved the amendment without changes. It now advances to the full Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, June 17.

What’s Really Going On?
Supervisor Mahmood’s amendment targets over 20 blocks — most of them in the high-density core of Hayes Valley. There’s no credible rationale. At the first hearing, he said it was for “wine walks.”

Is that a serious justification for rewriting a neighborhood’s future?
This proposal builds on a closure that was never reviewed, never compliant, and never supported by the broader community. The only group consulted? A politically favored nonprofit (HVNA), closely aligned with Bilal Mahmood and already mismanaging the current permit. Meanwhile, other Supervisors are deflecting — “It’s Bilal’s district,” they say. But this is citywide legislation. The precedent it sets will impact every neighborhood in San Francisco.

Even here in Hayes Valley, residents and businesses have already pulled out of HVNA-sponsored events like the holiday block party — not out of apathy, but because they’ve experienced the real consequences of unchecked alcohol use, noise, and nighttime disorder.

Why This Should Alarm Every San Francisco Neighborhood
This isn’t just about Hayes Valley — it’s a citywide warning. Entertainment Zones are meant to revitalize underperforming commercial corridors — not destabilize functional neighborhoods like ours that are already grappling with:

Drug activity and spillover from Civic Center and Market
Inconsistent police response and emergency delays
Encampments, vandalism, and sidewalk deterioration

Instead of offering relief, this legislation doubles down on dysfunction — turning Hayes Valley into a destination drinking district where:

Only bars and restaurants benefit
Retailers, grocers, and service providers are excluded
Enforcement is left to bar staff — the same actors (Closed Street point people) who already fail to meet basic permit compliance now

Ask Yourself:

What if your street was reclassified overnight — with no warning?
What if your business was already struggling — and City Hall made it worse?
What if your neighborhood — already facing safety breakdowns — was rebranded as a party zone?
What if the only people consulted were those profiting from disruption?
What if people could legally party outside your home, every day, from noon to midnight?

That’s not hypothetical. That’s what’s in store for Hayes Valley. And if it can happen here, it can happen in your neighborhood.

What We’re Demanding:
✅ Remove Hayes Valley from this ordinance
✅Demand real public process and community input before changing any neighborhood’s future
✅Stop this legislation before it becomes a dangerous precedent

This isn’t revitalization. It’s reckless policymaking. And the Board of Supervisors needs to hear from every district — before the June 17 vote.

Final Word
Governing through party zones isn’t leadership — it’s deflection. This legislation doesn’t solve San Francisco challenges — it avoids them. It’s a way to mask failures in public safety, accountability, and small business support. And we’re not alone in seeing the pattern: Across California, more nightlife isn’t solving deep-rooted issues — it just moves them around.

We’ve seen what happens when elected officials stop listening. When Supervisor Engardio ignored his own constituents to keep the Upper Great Highway closed, the fallout fractured trust in District 4. Now the same is happening here — only faster, with fewer checks, and and with even less transparency.

Hayes Valley didn’t ask for this. And we won’t be silenced. Let’s be clear: Bilal Mahmood made this a citywide issue. The only question now is whether the rest of the Board is brave enough to stop it.

Send your letter now »

Please see a short note we have crafted for you to send to the SF Board of Supervisors.

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Tell us a bit about yourself

I am a Hayes Valley Resident

I operate or work in a small local shop in Hayes Valley

I am a San Francisco Resident

I operate or work in a small local shop in San Francisco

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Hayes Valley Resident

Dear Supervisors,
I’m writing as a resident of Hayes Valley — someone who walks these sidewalks every day, shops at our local stores, and supports the small businesses that make this place feel like a true neighborhood. What’s being advanced right now under the Entertainment Zone ordinance threatens that balance and I’m asking you to stop it. Without public notice, community outreach, or departmental oversight, Supervisor Mahmood introduced an amendment on June 2 that would reclassify over 20 blocks of Hayes Valley as an Entertainment Zone – the largest in San Francisco. There was no warning to neighbors. No management plan. No mention of Hayes Valley on the committee agenda. Just a backroom maneuver apparently coordinated with a neighborhood nonprofit whose views do not reflect the full diversity of our community. I appreciate HVSafe for keeping neighbors informed and giving us a way to speak up especially as this process has played out behind closed doors to accommodate the agendas of a select few.

Let’s be clear: this isn’t revitalization. It’s destabilization.
Hayes Valley already bears the brunt of citywide issues from public safety lapses to encampments, drug activity, and vandalism. We’ve learned to live with these challenges while doing our best to stay connected, informed, and supportive of one another. But this amendment does nothing to solve those problems. It only adds more chaos — late night noise, sidewalk drinking, and even more strain on our already stretched public services. We’re especially alarmed that this ordinance appears designed to codify the ongoing weekend closure of Hayes Street, which has already caused hardship for local residents and businesses. That closure needs to end — not be embedded into law through a broader zoning change. This feels like an end-run around community input on a closure that remains deeply contested. What’s more troubling is the City’s fixation on turning Hayes Valley into yet another “activation zone,” when we are already blessed with numerous open spaces nearby. The obsession with Hayes Street and the push to create a party atmosphere doesn’t serve us as residents. We’ve seen what happens when destination zones are rushed: they’re underutilized, poorly managed, and often lead to unintended consequences. If revitalization is the goal, focus on areas that actually need it – like downtown. Don’t uproot a dense, mixed-use neighborhood under the guise of “activation.” As residents, we have every right to expect livability and sanity in front of our homes.
Please:
– Vote to remove Hayes Valley from this ordinance
– Demand real public process and community input before changing any neighborhood’s future
– Stop this now before it becomes precedent for how we govern

If this can happen in Hayes Valley without warning, without input, and without a plan — it can happen in any neighborhood. We ask you to stand with us and show the rest of the city that policy doesn’t have to come at the expense of people.
Sincerely,

Send a letter to the Board of Supervisors*

Hayes Valley Local Shop

Dear Supervisors,
I’m writing as a small business owner in Hayes Valley — and I want to be clear: the proposed expansion of the Entertainment Zone ordinance, especially the addition of Hayes Valley, threatens the survival of businesses like mine. Without public notice, formal review, or basic outreach to our business community, Supervisor Mahmood introduced a last-minute amendment on June 2 to reclassify over 20 blocks of Hayes Valley as an Entertainment Zone — the largest in the city. It was not on the agenda. It had no inter-agency oversight. And it’s being rushed toward a vote on June 17. This isn’t how business policy should be made. It’s certainly not how neighborhood economies should be restructured.The existing weekend street closure has already hurt us. We’ve lost revenue, foot traffic, and vendor access with no data, no support, and no acknowledgment from the City. Many of us have already opted out of neighborhood events centered around alcohol and amplified activity, because we’ve seen firsthand that these gatherings don’t drive sales — they drive disruptions. This amendment would only make that worse. Turning our corridor into a full-time destination district won’t revitalize it. It will bury it. Retailers don’t benefit from street drinking. Service providers don’t benefit from sidewalk chaos. And families, staff, and customers don’t feel safe when public space becomes party space.We are blessed with open spaces nearby. We don’t need more programming. We need policy that stabilizes—not destabilizes—Hayes Valley. If the City wants to invest in nightlife, do it downtown where it’s needed. Don’t uproot a high-density, mixed-use neighborhood and call it “activation.”
Please:
– Vote to remove Hayes Valley from this ordinance
– Demand real public process and community input before changing any neighborhood’s future
– Stop this now — before it becomes precedent for how we govern

This policy doesn’t support small business. It favors a narrow slice of the hospitality sector at the expense of everyone else. We’ve already lost ground due to the closure. If this passes, it will be the nail in the coffin for many of us. I hope you’ll stand up before it’s too late.

Sincerely,

Send a letter to the Board of Supervisors*

San Francisco Local Shop

Dear Supervisors,
I’m a small business owner in San Francisco. I work hard every day to keep my doors open, serve my community, and provide jobs. So you can imagine how it felt to learn that 20 blocks of Hayes Valley — encompassing one of San Francisco’s most vital neighborhood business corridors — are about to be reclassified as an 'Entertainment Zone'. Not to support small businesses like mine, but to benefit a handful of nightlife venues. No public process. No engagement. No plan. Hayes Valley is full of people like me: grocers, shopkeepers, service providers — all trying to survive a tough economy. And yet this legislation excludes us completely. No thought to how street closures affect deliveries. No plan for late-night disturbances. No protections for businesses that don’t serve alcohol. It’s a slap in the face to every merchant who isn’t a bar.
I’m asking you to:
– Vote to remove Hayes Valley from the ordinance
– Insist on a real process before designating any neighborhood for this kind of programming
– Respect the voices of residents and retailers — not just nightlife operators

If this can happen in Hayes Valley, it can happen anywhere. Please don’t let that become San Francisco’s new normal.

Sincerely,

Send a letter to the Board of Supervisors*

San Francisco Resident

Dear Supervisors,
I’m writing as a deeply concerned San Francisco resident — not just about what’s happening in Hayes Valley, but about what it says about how our city governs. On June 2, Supervisor Bilal Mahmood quietly introduced a sweeping amendment to reclassify over 20 blocks of Hayes Valley as an Entertainment Zone -the largest in San Francisco. There was no public notice, no formal outreach, no management plan, and no transparency. Not even a line item on the agenda. It was a political maneuver and now it’s headed for a full vote. This is not how policy should be made.The very people most impacted: residents, retailers, service workers, and families were never asked. There was no hearing, no study, no justification beyond “wine walks” and political loyalty. Meanwhile, the reality on the ground is far more serious: Hayes Valley is a dense, overstressed neighborhood already coping with safety breakdowns, encampments, struggling businesses, and uneven city response. And now, we’re being told that more alcohol, more noise, and less oversight is somehow the answer? This isn’t progress. It’s deflection and it’s coming for all of us. Hayes Valley is just the first neighborhood being sacrificed under this new framework. If it can happen there quietly, quickly, without consent — it can happen anywhere. That’s why I’m asking you to speak up.
Please:
– Vote to remove Hayes Valley from the ordinance
– Demand proper oversight and public engagement before expanding Entertainment Zones
– Refuse to let one district’s political agenda reshape the entire city

This city belongs to all of us not just those with access or influence. Please show that leadership still matters at City Hall.

Sincerely,

June 7, 2025 Update
As we reported below…Supervisor Bilal Mahmood has introduced an amendment to San Francisco’s Entertainment Zone legislation that designates more than 18 blocks of Hayes Valley as a formal “Entertainment Zone.” This amendment was introduced without prior public notice, a management plan, or proper departmental review.

The next step in this process: The amendment is being heard at the Rules Committee on Monday, June 9.

Key Facts

The amendment was introduced via a “duplicated file” at the June 2 Rules Committee hearing, with no mention of Hayes Valley on the agenda.
It legitimizes the full-time closure of the 400 block of Hayes Street by embedding it into the Entertainment Zone framework — without requiring a new permit or departmental review.
Hayes Valley was excluded from prior departmental and Entertainment Commission review, in violation of the ordinance’s requirements.

What’s at Stake
The Entertainment Zone designation would drastically change how events, alcohol, and public space operate in Hayes Valley — bypassing permit requirements, public process, and community input. Though framed as “community-led,” the amendment reflects the interests of a narrow group of stakeholders, not the broader neighborhood.

Where Things Stand
Since the June 2 hearing, we’ve taken concrete steps to uncover the scope, impact, and legality of the Hayes Valley Entertainment Zone amendment:

We’ve submitted formal inquiries to SFMTA, OEWD, Planning, and the Entertainment Commission requesting management plans, departmental reviews, and supporting documentation.
Community Pulse: Sentiment across our coalition, neighbors, and small businesses is clear — the response is overwhelmingly opposed. Frustration is growing, and the absence of engagement has only deepened concerns.
We’ve filed joint complaints with the Sunshine Ordinance Task Force and Ethics Commission, citing violations of transparency, governance, and public process.

What’s at Stake for the Neighborhood – A Dense Residential Community at Risk
Hayes Valley is a vibrant, high-density residential and commercial district, home to over 9,000 households – many with families, seniors, and long-term renters. This compact neighborhood supports schools, small businesses, and cultural spaces. It is a community, not an entertainment corridor.

Public Safety and Quality of Life Concerns
The proposed EZ would allow open-container alcohol consumption daily from noon to midnight, normalize frequent street programming, and eliminate key safety reviews all while Hayes Valley already contends with:

Drug activity spilling over from Civic Center, Market, and the Mission
Inconsistent policing and emergency response
Encampments and deteriorating sidewalks
Small businesses struggling to survive

This is not revitalization — it’s volatility.

Lack of Community Support and Transparency
From residents to retailers, the message is consistent: no one was informed, and no one supports it. Yet the City continues to push the amendment under the banner of “community-led planning.”

No neighborhood outreach
No public hearing
No management plan

The silence wasn’t an oversight — it was the strategy.

Unequal Impact and a Skewed Stakeholder Narrative
The “support” behind this plan has been narrowly drawn. Supervisor Mahmood’s office cites 14 businesses in support — yet none are retail storefronts. No independent boutiques, service providers, or long-standing merchants appear on that list.

Retail, already struggling with post-pandemic instability, now faces increased spillover, noise, and lost foot traffic
Bars and restaurants already benefiting from underused parklets are positioned for even more privileges

This policy pits hospitality against retail and undermines the neighborhood’s economic balance.

A Threat to Small Business Survival
Hayes Valley’s independent business sector is already endangered. This legislation tips the scales toward nightlife and event programming — not neighborhood needs.
The proposed zone would:

Encourage landlord speculation
Accelerate turnover
Exploit loopholes in San Francisco’s formula retail ban

Without guardrails, the EZ risks turning Hayes Valley into a nightlife corridor shaped by outside investment — not a walkable, local-serving community.

Why This Matters — Beyond Bureaucracy
Hayes Valley is not a blank slate. We’re a dense, interdependent community already burdened by public safety challenges and decades of displacement.
This isn’t the right place.
This isn’t the right time.
And this isn’t the right process.
We’ll keep fighting — and we’ll keep you posted.
For now, please show your support by sending in this letter in advance of Monday’s hearing.

The submission period has ended.

June 3, 2025 Update
What Prompted This Update? This development stems from Monday’s June 2 Rules Committee hearing, where Supervisor Bilal Mahmood quietly introduced a sweeping amendment to the citywide Entertainment Zone legislation.
Legislation Reference

What Just Happened in Hayes Valley? A Lot — and You Should Pay Attention.
But the truth is far simpler: we are policy-minded residents, merchants, and neighbors who believe the democratic process matters. And we’ve just watched that process unravel in real time. What’s unfolding in Hayes Valley isn’t just about a street. It’s about the largest Entertainment Zone in San Francisco — stretching over 18 blocks (Franklin, Market, Haight, Octavia, Fell, Laguna, Grove, and Gough to McAllister) involving expanded alcohol permissions, event operations without permits, and zero credible planning. And it’s being pushed through without public notice, without documentation, and without broad community support.

We’ve been calling for the reopening of one of the city’s predominant business corridors —a modest but urgent effort to restore access, safety, and fairness to our local neighborhood. Now, that call is being quietly overridden by a sweeping Entertainment Zone overlay introduced without notice, hearings, or a management plan that entrenches the 400 block closure in city legislation. It doesn’t just enable events. It pre-authorizes them. And it shields them from future challenge.

Supervisor Bilal Mahmood, who has barely held office for five months, has chosen to make this a citywide issue. And the way he did it matters. First, a press stunt on the closed street timed just before introducing an unlisted amendment at the Rules Committee. No hearings. No notice. No planning documents. Just a last-minute maneuver on a “duplicated file,” applauding city staff who helped usher it in behind closed doors. This is not how policy is made.

This isn’t just Hayes Valley’s issue. If this can happen here, it can happen in your neighborhood. In fact, because of this experience, we feel more connected than ever to the growing number of communities across San Francisco plagued by similar tactics special-interest favoritism, public process erasure, and elected officials who forget who they serve.

We’re not interested in being dramatic, we’re interested in being heard. And when elected officials abandon that basic tenet, it’s up to all of us to push back.

So let’s do this — our plea is through you, to your supervisor. It’s time to pay attention. We’ve documented every turn in our series — the erasure of input, the silence from agencies, the misuse of public process. And we’ll keep going.

This is the wrong time, the wrong place, and the wrong process.
This is a fluid situation. More updates to come.

San Francisco, we love you. We’re holding the line, together.

Truthfully, we’re exhausted. We’ve spent years fighting to reopen Hayes St — not for attention, not for headlines, but because it matters to the daily life of this neighborhood. Instead of being heard, we’ve been handed an even bigger battle. It’s disheartening. It’s unfair. And it didn’t have to be this way.

P.S. If Bilal thinks this is leadership, he might want to check in with Joel and see how that’s going.

May 30, 2025
The City is quietly trying to fold Hayes Valley into a permanent Entertainment Zone—without notice, legislation, or community input. We’re on the pulse, and we’ve seen this playbook before. As our advocacy series has shown, this closure has done real harm to small businesses and the social fabric of the neighborhood. Now, Supervisor Mahmood is trying to legitimize that harm through a backdoor policy maneuver.

We’re asking for your help to stop it.

From the Upper Great Highway to Hayes Street, San Franciscans are fed up with exclusionary street closures and inside deals. Just like the Joel Engardio recall, this is a flashpoint moment. Let the Rules Committee know: Hayes Valley deserves a public process, not a fait accompli.

Speak up before Monday.