VENDING BAN: After Gov. Gavin Newsom signed state Sen. Scott Wiener’s fencing bill this week, Lurie is moving on legislation to clamp down on illegal street vending in San Francisco.
Senate Bill 276, known as the SAFE Streets Act, is Wiener’s second attempt at addressing San Francisco’s stolen-goods markets, which residents contend have flourished in the years since state lawmakers decriminalized street vending.
SB 276 allows the Board of Supervisors to adopt an ordinance mandating permits to sell commonly stolen merchandise on public property, while giving law enforcement the authority to issue infractions — and a misdemeanor after multiple violations — to individuals who can’t show proof of purchase of goods they’re hawking on the sidewalk. Lurie sponsored the bill.
“For far too long, we have seen people breaking the law, but we haven’t had the tools at our disposal to do something about it,” Lurie said in an Instagram post Tuesday. “This law allows us to do it.”
Lurie’s spokesperson, Charles Lutvak, said the mayor plans to carry the ordinance, which means first coming up with a list of items commonly tied to stolen goods. Lutvak declined to say which supervisors would be sponsoring the legislation. But the effort is almost sure to generate support from Lurie’s moderate allies, who have voted in line with his crackdown on public safety matters.
Supervisor Jackie Fielder, a progressive who has butted heads with the mayor on law enforcement issues and whose Mission district is a hot spot for street fencing, indicated that she’s willing to collaborate with the mayor and her moderate colleagues on the issue.
“I’ll be working with the Mission Street Vendors Association to ensure the list of commonly stolen goods is reasonable, and will continue pushing vending reforms to guard the civil rights of permitted vendors in our community,” Fielder texted Power Play.
— Gabe Greschler
WIENER GOES WEST: The day before Sherrill’s testy town hall, Wiener faced tough questions from residents who’d gathered at Sunset Recreation Center for a conversation focused largely on upzoning (with a smattering of D4 recall politics).
It wasn’t exactly a crowd of Wiener’s base supporters, who include YIMBY enthusiasts and urbanists supportive of policies like Proposition K. But the Sunset town hall seemed to be part of a strategy by Wiener to shore up support from west-side and Chinese voters before his expected congressional run once Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi retires.
His recent outreach to the community has included posting Cantonese-language TikToks and bilingual Chinese content, along with celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival and participating in press conferences with the Chinese Hospital in Chinatown and Chinese pharmacy store owners in the Richmond.
Even though Wiener’s support for closing the Great Highway to cars and his YIMBY bona fides put him at odds with many west-side residents, he touted strong support from voters across the city. Wiener received nearly 79% of the vote in the November 2024 election (though we’ll note that he received more modest support in some west-side neighborhoods, including the Sunset).
Wiener emphasized in a statement to Power Play that he has stood with the Asian American community on its priority issues, including his endorsement of the successful 2022 recall of three school board officials.
“When the time comes, I look forward to making the case to voters and building on the strong citywide support I’ve received in my last three elections for state Senate,” Wiener said. “In the meantime, I’m focused on my work in the Legislature to make housing and healthcare more affordable and prevent transit service cuts.”
— Han Li
BARNES’ DOOR IS OPEN: Bill Barnes told Power Play this week that he’s “definitely taking a look” at jumping into the crowded District 10 supervisor race once there’s more political air time after the Nov. 4 special election for Proposition 50.
“We’ve gotta get Prop. 50 passed, and I’m all in on that,” the political insider said.
Barnes, 48, managed Ed Lee’s successful mayoral campaign before serving as chief of staff to former Supervisor Ahsha Safaí. Barnes is now director of campaigns and community engagement for the Non-Profit Housing Association of Northern California.
A 15-year resident of Potrero Hill, Barnes has many City Hall and campaign connections, which, along with his work with community groups, could make him a contender.
He would face a tough competitor in Theo Ellington, a well-known lobbyist and interim executive director of the Ruth Williams Opera House, who declared his candidacy this week. Other candidates include Board of Appeals commissioner J.R. Eppler, community organizer Jameel Rasheed Patterson, and political outsiders Mike Lin and Pearci Bastiany. A progressive is expected to emerge in DJ Brookter, CEO of the nonprofit Young Community Developers, while community organizer Cedric Akbar has told Power Play he’s getting into the race.
Barnes said he expects to make a decision by the end of the year.
“I definitely think I have a path,” he said.
— Josh Koehn
JUST AN UPDATE: Engardio’s last day in office is Oct. 17. It’s unclear when Lurie will make his decision on who will replace the supervisor, but sources say several frontrunners have sat for first-round interviews. Lurie’s communications director, Han Zou, is said to be leading the process.
Lurie’s office remains tight-lipped and has repeatedly declined to share updates on the mayor’s selection process. Lurie attended the Sunset town hall and told residents there to offer their input on who they think should represent D4.
“We have a number of people interested in the seat,” Lurie told the crowd. “We want you all to have representation, so we're moving quickly on this.”
— Han Li
