January 5, 2026
Attention SFMTA:
This past weekend, Hayes Street was open. No notice or communication was provided to businesses or residents. As a result, much of the corridor remained unaware and unable to plan, promote, or benefit from the change in conditions. This marks the second consecutive weekend in which the closure was not consistently in effect, confirming that it is no longer being administered as a regulated permit program, but through informal, ad hoc decisions made without documented criteria or neighborhood notice.
The past two weeks have made the cost of this closure unmistakably clear. When Hayes Street was reopened for three days across two weekends, retailers reported materially higher sales that were immediate and measurable. Notably, these gains occurred even without notice or advance planning, underscoring how fundamental access and pass through traffic are to small-business viability.
For years, neighbors and merchants have warned that allowing a private nonprofit to administer activity on a public street under a city permit has caused ongoing economic harm. These recent conditions remove any remaining ambiguity. Continued authorization of this closure, in the face of direct evidence that reopening restores economic activity, is indefensible. We again urge SFMTA to revoke Permit No. 1316522 and restore Hayes Street to its intended, lawful use.
This correspondence has been edited for clarity and conciseness. Routine greetings, scheduling notes, and contact details have been omitted; the substance of the communication remains unchanged.