Summer in Hayes Valley has always held a certain charm: a walkable corridor, neighborhood parks, local businesses, and everyday moments shared between neighbors. But lately, that balance has been slipping away. What began as a temporary closure to aid pandemic recovery has dragged on for five years, morphing into a semi-permanent spectacle that has failed the very businesses and residents it was meant to support. And now, with not even a whisper of public process, a sprawling 20+ block Entertainment Zone has been abruptly and haphazardly imposed on our neighborhood.
Two policies. One pattern. A neighborhood losing its way. We believe it’s time for a reset, one grounded not in gimmicks, but in logic.
A Neighborhood Designed for Balance
Hayes Valley was never meant to be a “destination zone.” Its success has always come from balance — a mix of locally owned businesses, families, renters, and walkable density. Streets served commerce and connection. Sidewalks served pedestrians and accessibility. Parks served as places to socialize and enjoy.
Today, that balance is being replaced by a top-down vision pushed by a small set of politically connected actors. And the results speak for themselves:
- Retailers struggling to stay open on a block cut off from through-traffic. Small businesses have shuttered, and some are relocating out of Hayes Valley entirely. The fact that even one business has been harmed should have been enough to end these “temporary programs.” Instead, permanent damage has been allowed to occur — and that is the elephant in the room.
- Residents excluded from decisions that directly impact their safety, access, and quality of life. The level of neglect and denial from city government around these programs is nothing short of spectacular.
- Small businesses forced to watch as bars and nonprofits reap benefits from policies they had no role in shaping. It’s a slap in the face to those who built Hayes Valley’s clout, fought for the formula retail ban, and defined the uniqueness of this business district.
This isn’t progress. It’s consolidation of influence, of space, of revenue … favoring a few while leaving independent businesses and residents to absorb the cost.
The Closure and the EZ: One Agenda, Two Fronts
We can’t talk about the Hayes Street closure without talking about the Entertainment Zone. They are not separate issues. They are two sides of the same plan – a slow re-engineering of Hayes Valley into a nightlife first corridor with no meaningful public input. Both were pushed forward under the guise of community benefit. Neither reflects the reality on the ground.
We’re Not Alone Anymore
For years, our concerns were reduced or dismissed. We were treated as if we were the odd ones out simply for speaking up about the harm. Meanwhile, the country club and SFMTA were busy pitching their fantastical sales deck, insisting this was a success story. All the while, there was a stunning denial of the damage unfolding around them. Imagine being told almost apologetically that financial harm to small businesses simply wasn’t part of the equation for a street closure renewal.
But now, the narrative is changing:
- More neighbors are speaking out.
- More retailers are standing up, naming the harm, and rejecting these failed policies.
- More San Franciscans are watching what’s happening here and saying: not in my neighborhood.
This isn’t a marginal perspective. It’s a rational call for a course correction that’s growing stronger every day.
Our Position Is Clear
We’re not asking for minor adjustments. We’re calling for a return to basic, balanced urban planning:
✔️Roads that support small business, access, and transportation.
✔️Sidewalks that prioritize pedestrians, ADA access, and walkability.
✔️Parks and plazas that serve everyone, not just a few permit holders.
The Entertainment Zone designation needs to be rolled back. The closure has long outlived its purpose and violated its own terms. It should be terminated without delay; renewal isn’t even a conversation worth having.
If City Hall refuses to act, we are prepared to challenge these failures through every available channel including legal action.
Let’s Restore Sanity
This campaign isn’t just about one street. It’s about a neighborhood that worked until a small set of actors decided to use it as their sandbox. What began as a temporary closure has dragged on for five years. Half-baked programs have been layered on top of one another, with no accountability for the damage left behind. And all the while, the same voices keep shaping the vision not because they represent a majority, but because they hold influence in the right rooms.
Hayes Valley was a great neighborhood before the pandemic…walkable, diverse, and thriving. It didn’t need “reinvention.” It needed stability and support for the people and businesses already here. Instead, we’ve been handed closures, “activations,” and a political agenda dressed up as innovation. The biggest downfall of this closure was SFMTA’s insistence on “activating” the street. This isn’t just any road — it’s part of a prominent business corridor, where commerce and connectivity are critical. That single misguided call turned a practical, functioning street into a stage for dysfunction and disruption. And it’s the refusal to call that failure what it is that has dragged this out for far too long.
Closing down a street for social use while underutilized parks and plazas sit steps away is about as tone deaf as you can get.
We can’t keep letting insiders tinker with failed ideas while big issues go unaddressed: keeping small businesses alive, maintaining safe and sane streets, and protecting the livability of our city. This isn’t about tweaks anymore. It’s about ending policies that have already caused too much harm and making sure they aren’t exported to the rest of San Francisco.
We believe the choice is clear. And we’re ready to lead the reset.
✔️ Open Hayes St
✔️ Roll Back the Entertainment Zone
Let Normalcy Reign
📝 Sign the petitions now at FairSF.com
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