June 1, 2026
Dear SFMTA Board of Directors,
The Hayes Valley Small Business Association (HVSBA) opposes the proposed expansion of Pay or Permit Parking (PPP) in Hayes Valley and respectfully urges the Board to reject it.
Hayes Valley businesses have already spent years adapting to overlapping transportation initiatives, parking changes, street closures, recurring events, construction impacts, and changing access conditions. The proposed PPP expansion would add further complexity and cost for customers, visitors, deliveries, service providers, and employees without demonstrating clear benefits that justify doubling the program’s footprint.
We remain concerned that:
- The pilot has not demonstrated sufficient measurable success to justify expansion;
- The combined impacts of PPP and the ongoing Hayes Street weekend closure have never been fully evaluated;
- Community outreach was limited relative to the scale of the proposal;
- Hayes Valley has become the sole remaining expansion area after other neighborhoods were removed from consideration; and
- The availability of grant funding should not be treated as a substitute for demonstrated success, particularly when local businesses continue to face unresolved access and parking challenges.
For small businesses, convenient and predictable access matters. Customers, delivery drivers, tradespeople, and service providers should not face additional barriers while fundamental questions about program performance remain unresolved.
Hayes Valley businesses have already absorbed years of experimentation. We do not believe further expansion has been justified and respectfully urge the Board to reject this proposal.
Thank you.
HVSBA