San Francisco, CA – Mayor London N. Breed and Supervisor Hillary Ronen today announced plans for a six-month extension of the Street Vending Moratorium along Mission Street. The aim is to further enhance public safety and cleanliness in the Mission neighborhood.
The City issued a 90-day moratorium on Mission Street on November 27, 2023, as the result of unprecedented safety concerns due to unauthorized vending and illegal activities that have been negatively impacting small business owners, permitted vendors, Mission residents, and visitors along one of the City’s busiest transit corridors. The City will now add another six months on to the 90-day moratorium.
The unpermitted activities involved fencing, the sale of stolen items, inaccessible sidewalks, and other hazards that have created a harmful environment in the area, not only for residents and business owners, but also for City Public Works inspectors who are leading enforcement efforts with support from the San Francisco Police Department (SFPD). Since then, the City has seen positive improvements on the Mission Street corridor that include reductions in calls for service to police and street cleaning requests.
The additional pause on street vending will allow the City to continue to assess how it can ensure conditions on sidewalks and around BART plazas do not deteriorate again. Enforcement operations will continue within a 300-foot radius of the Mission Street Corridor between 14th and Cesar Chavez streets, seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
“The progress in the Mission is evident and a great relief to residents, merchants, and City workers,” said Mayor Breed. “As we continue to partner with our City Departments, community leaders, residents, and business owners to deliver safer and cleaner streets to the neighborhood, we also need to change our state laws around vending. That’s why I’m working with mayors across California to propose change to state law to ensure the City can better enforce against fencing of stolen goods and create a safe environment for all San Franciscans.”
"District 9 residents and small businesses have noted that Mission Street is markedly safer, cleaner and more accessible," said Supervisor Hillary Ronen. "However, our work is far from done. With a moratorium extension, we can continue to build on the progress we've made while supporting our legitimate street vendors with wraparound services, marketing and workforce training."
Beginning in 2022, Public Works ramped up street cleaning efforts to help address deteriorating street conditions and enforcement to curb illegal fencing around the 16th and 24th Street BART plazas and adjacent areas. Since the moratorium became effective 10 weeks ago, data from SFPD and Public Works show significant improvements, including:
- 30% combined decrease in assaults and robbery incidents
- 22% decrease in assault incidents
- 46% decrease in robbery incidents
- 23% decrease in 311 service requests for street cleaning
Additionally, results from a survey of 192 merchants located in the Mission Street commercial corridor led by the Office of Economic and Workforce Development (OEWD) earlier this month, show small business support for the moratorium and satisfaction of street conditions.
- 76% of surveyed businesses felt the moratorium on Mission Street should continue
- 67% of businesses have seen a positive change on Mission Street
Additional data and information on merchants' surveys along Mission Street may be found here.
“The SFPD will continue to support Public Works and our other City partners to make Mission Steet safer, cleaner, and more accessible to the community,” said Police Chief Bill Scott. “I’m encouraged by the progress we’ve made, and I want to thank our officers who are doing this important work every day.”
“We are seeing the positive impacts that the temporary moratorium has been having along the Mission corridor – the area is safer, cleaner and easier for people to navigate. Residents, shopkeepers and visitors can feel and see a meaningful difference when the City teams are on the ground enforcing the temporary no-vending rule,” said Public Works Director Carla Short. “By extending the temporary moratorium, we can keep the momentum going with the collective goal of continuing to improve conditions in the neighborhood.”
Prior to the moratorium’s implementation, Mayor Breed’s and Supervisor Ronen’s offices, and various City agencies worked collaboratively to devise ways to mitigate concerns from the community and permitted vendors while protecting the health and wellbeing of the larger Mission community. The interventions, planned with community input, included extensive outreach and education, supportive and technical services, street vending guidelines, and permitting requirements.
The City has also dedicated resources to support previously permitted street vendors through OEWD to ensure they have access to wraparound support services, including workforce training and placement, marketing support, and emergency relief funds for low-income households. Vendors also are matched to existing resources based on their individual needs.
The plan to support vendors included the opening of El Tiangue and La Placita, two temporary spaces with community partners Clecha and Calle 24 Latino Cultural District, where permitted street vendors have been able to sell goods and products.
The City, through OEWD, has also partnered with the Latino Task Force to help impacted street vendors access services and resources. For assistance, permitted merchants can call (415) 532-7275, or stop by 701 Alabama Street, Wednesdays and Thursdays between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
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