San Francisco has imposed a stringent ban on street vending along Mission Street in the Mission District and the surrounding BART stations in an effort to deter criminal activities. As ABC7 News reported, the city made this decision due to safety concerns arising from the sale of stolen goods and illicit operations on the streets.
In her community newsletter, Supervisor Hillary Ronen suggests that statewide law SB 946, passed in 2018 to legalize street vending, inadvertently invited criminal operations into the Mission District. Ronen vows her unwavering commitment to protecting the residents and businesses of the area despite legal constraints in curbing street vending.
Large-scale illicit "fencing" operations, causing ongoing problems for the city, lie at the heart of this issue. As Santiago Lerma, a legislative aide for Supervisor Ronen, explains Mission Street is filled with such operations. San Francisco Police Chief Bill Scott confirmed this problem to ABC7 News, noting his department's efforts to combat these illegal activities with recent arrests.
These fencing operations on streets like Mission Street have led to public works inspectors having to wear bulletproof vests, often accompanied by police supervision, underlining the danger posed by these activities. Chief Scott concurs, testifying to ABC7 News about the inspectors experiencing verbal and physical assaults, which complicates their tasks in the area.
City officials, confronted with the law from 2018 undermining their efforts to control street vending, had to conjure new methods to manage the problems on Mission Street. By using local health and safety records, Ronen and other city leaders were able to demonstrate the immediate threat of vending operations along Mission Street and nearby BART stations.
As indicated in Ronen's newsletter, the city plans to put its commitment to public safety and local businesses into action by enforcing the street vending ban on Mission Street starting in November. While acknowledging the possible impacts on law-abiding street vendors, Ronen is committed to minimizing, any negative effects.
The city is searching for indoor spaces to accommodate permitted vendors in the Mission District, allowing them to continue their lawful businesses. San Francisco, by directing further resources towards workforce development programs for the street vending population, aspires to offer these vendors new opportunities for livelihood.
