The earliest evidence of undue influence and eroded process. In January 2025, just two weeks into Supervisor Bilal Mahmood’s term, a SFMTA/ISCOTT hearing was held to consider the Head West street closure permit. This for-profit marketplace had begun seeking a higher frequency (4x) of dates in Hayes Valley during the early pandemic — compounding the impacts of the already contentious … Read post
The for Profit Southern California based Head West Market seeks a fast track permit approval process for 2025 despite no consensus at the neighborhood level and an apparent collusion with efforts by the HVNA for a permanent street closure on Hayes Street. January 22, 2026Post SFMTA ISCOTT Hearing Update Political Pressure Overwhelms Permitting ProcessOn Thursday, January 22, 2026, SFMTA/ISCOTT approved … Read post
Behind the Process: What Our Engagement Reveals This section outlines our direct engagement with City agencies and offices over the past two years. It is based on public correspondence, meeting notes, and documented interactions –not speculation. The purpose is to help the public understand how a neighborhood issue became a political project and why that context is critical ahead of … Read post
The Backstory — Why These Rules Exist San Francisco’s City Charter isn’t vague about this: Supervisors make laws, they don’t administer them. That line was drawn for a reason — and it goes back to incidents like Aaron Peskin’s notorious late-night calls to department heads. Those drunken phone calls and attempts to direct agency staff triggered reforms clarifying that supervisors … Read post
San Francisco’s Shared Spaces program was meant to help businesses recover. Instead, it’s been used to keep Hayes Street closed for nearly five years. What began as a temporary Shared Spaces closure on Hayes Street in 2020 should have ended years ago. By late 2023, SFMTA staff were prepared not to renew the permit — citing safety issues, merchant complaints, … Read post
Supervisor Bilal Mahmood has been promoting what he calls a “first-time” SFPD Police Ambassador pilot in Hayes Valley and the Fillmore — retired police officers walking the beat as the “eyes and ears” for both the department and the community. The problem? This program isn’t new. Mayor London Breed and Supervisor Dean Preston rolled out the same initiative in 2023, … Read post
There’s been a quiet but calculated effort underway to turn Hayes Valley into the next Abbot Kinney. If that reference doesn’t hit right away, let us explain. Abbot Kinney Boulevard in Venice Beach was once a quirky, eclectic strip filled with independent shops, creatives, and community culture. But over time thanks to a toxic mix of real estate speculation, political … Read post
A Neighborhood at a Crossroads It’s been a busy fall, winter, and spring. With summer upon us, we thought it best to take a pause and share some updates, especially as we’ve been fielding many questions in our ongoing conversations with neighbors. Had you asked us in 2020 what our community work would look like five years down the road, … Read post
