Report a violation of sidewalk or parking lane use by businesses

What to do

1. Check the rules

Businesses must:

Display a copy of the permit outside during business hours
Follow local, state, and federal accessibility requirements
Not obstruct the sidewalk next to a bus stop, blue curb zone, white curb zone, or bike rack
Keep curb ramps, doors, driveways, fire escapes, and Fire Department connections free of obstructions
Keep sidewalk clean of trash, debris, and food waste at all times

If you see a violation to any of these rules, you can tell 311.

2. Tell 311

Submit a complaint online if you see a business violating Shared Spaces rules.

Provide as much information as you can, including:

Name of business or organization
Address
What you saw
When you saw it

You can also call 311.

311

When you call 311, we will refer your complaint to the appropriate City agency.

3. After you submit your complaint

We will send complaints to the Entertainment Commission’s Community Education and Response Team (CERT).

CERT will then look into and will focus on educating and helping businesses comply.

If a business still doesn’t follow the permit rules, the complaint is sent to Municipal Transportation Agency’s (MTA), Department of Public Works (DPW) or the Mayor’s Office on Disability (MOD) for resolution.

After you report, you will get a tracking number from 311. You can use this number, or your email address, to track your case online.