For years, the Hayes Street closure has been described as an “experiment.” But experiments are meant to teach us something — not divide a neighborhood or drain the lifeblood of its small businesses. After five years of trial and error, the lesson is clear: this hasn’t worked. It’s time to move past the talking points and start telling the truth about what this has become: a stalled project propped up by a handful of insiders, long after its purpose expired.
We’ve seen enough to know what needs to change. Here’s what we and many across this neighborhood want people to finally admit and act on.
What People Need to Admit
That the closure was intended to be temporary and every extension since has undermined public trust. That small businesses have carried the cost, while the City has looked the other way. That the metrics that matter — safety, access, and real economic health — have been ignored. An experiment of this magnitude just isn’t worth continuing. Real harm has been done, and the neighborhood has been pitted against itself — for what?
What We Want to See Happen
The temporary permit retired for good.
Hayes Street reopened to restore balance, access, and fairness for everyone who lives and works here. Future neighborhood decisions shaped by broad participation, not backroom coordination. A renewed focus on what made Hayes Valley special in the first place: small businesses, walkability, and community trust. We want the formality of structured programs restored. COVID is over — and with it, the ad-hoc, personality-driven approach to public space must end. Events and street use should return to the standard, pre-pandemic permitting process with clear rules, agency oversight, and equal opportunity for all stakeholders to weigh in. One-off events should be just that – temporary, accountable, and never a backdoor for long-term street takeovers.
If the City truly wants more open space, start with the ones we already have. Patricia’s Green, PROXY, and other neighborhood spaces are waiting to be cared for — not neglected while functioning streets are blocked off.
And we want answers about Parcel K — a public site that’s become a case study in how access and influence quietly replace transparency.
What we’ve learned is that it’s not just the permit that failed — it’s the leadership. SFMTA kept renewing what it knew was broken. Our new Supervisor inherited a divided neighborhood and doubled down instead of listening. The Mayor’s office and new SFMTA Director promised change, but change hasn’t come. If this is what “new leadership” looks like, the city is simply repeating the old mistakes with fresher branding.
Another year of “temporary” on Hayes is outlandish. The community deserves better — and the City knows it.
Open Hayes.
Let’s sit down and discuss what comes next — not just for one block, but for the bigger picture of Hayes Valley. How do we restore fairness, access, and balance for everyone who calls this place home?
Stand with Hayes Valley neighbors and small businesses.
Add your name to our letter — your voice makes a difference.