San Francisco supervisors may change the flavor of the Mission District as the city weighs the rights of street vendors and everyone else who uses the sidewalks.
The proposal could shut down all steet vending on Mission Street because of a few bad actors.
California law allows street vendors to operate anywhere they’re not blocking the right-of-way, near permitted farmers markets or swap meets or during special events.
In San Francisco, the enforcement lies with the Public Works Department, and that's where it has become a problem. Supervisor Hillary Ronen, who represents the Mission, expressed concern in a message on her website.
"I recently learned that DPW workers who enforce the law have been assaulted and had their lives threatened by individuals selling stolen goods on the street," she wrote. "I also found out that DPW workers are wearing bulletproof vests to work and that many workers filed grievances through their union so they no longer had to work in the Mission because they feared for their safety."
Ronen says staff pulled health and safety records and found that street vendors on Mission Street and around BART stations are creating problems in the neighborhood.
According to the San Francisco Chronicle, the Mayor’s Office corroborated that an order to vacate will be issued.
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To make sure permitted vendors who are legitimately selling food and goods don’t get caught in the middle, the city will designate safe spaces off city sidewalks and will offer some sort of workforce development programs.
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