San Francisco leaders reintroduce state bill targeting illegal street vending
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San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie speaks alongside state Sen. Scott Wiener at a press conference on illegal street vending. Photo: Nadia Lopez/Axios
San Francisco leaders are again trying to crack down on illegal street vending by allowing police to take stronger action against vendors who sell stolen goods.
Why it matters: Fencing — the illegal sale of stolen items — has been an ongoing issue in San Francisco in many neighborhoods with high foot traffic, like the Mission, SOMA and Civic Center.
- Officials say the practice has created a public safety crisis that's disrupted neighborhoods, encouraged retail theft and displaced legitimate street vendors.
Driving the news: Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) on Monday reintroduced state legislation — called the SAFE Streets Act — with the backing of Mayor Daniel Lurie in an effort to combat the practice that boomed during the pandemic.
- Vendors would need to either obtain a permit or provide proof of purchase to verify that the goods they sell were obtained legally.
- The legislation is backed by the Mission Street Vendors Association and the Mission Merchants Association, among other community groups.
What they're saying: The bill "will build on our efforts to tackle retail theft and foster an environment where all of San Francisco's vendors, including small local entrepreneurs and our community organizations, can thrive," Lurie said during a press conference in the Mission.
How it works: The list of frequently stolen items would be determined by the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. Law enforcement would be granted more authority to cite and arrest people who are in violation of selling items on that list without legal verification.
- The first two offenses would lead to an infraction that could result in fines.
- A third offense would rise to a misdemeanor charge and up to six months in county jail.
Yes, but: The bill would not apply to anyone who sells prepared food, such as hot dog vendors who are often undocumented and vulnerable to exploitation.
Catch up quick: Wiener first introduced the bill last year in partnership with former Mayor London Breed, but it wound up failing in the Legislature.
- That effort came after the city enacted a street vending ban in the Mission to tamp down on the sale of stolen goods. The ban was extended last year.
- Though it has proved successful in leading to safer and cleaner streets, many vendors said they felt indiscriminately targeted and said they lost income.
What's next: Wiener said the goal of the new bill is helping resume safe street vending operations across the city and putting an end to the moratorium that was first put in place in 2023.