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San Francisco Expands Tenderloin Late-Night Store Curfew to SoMa After 8–2 Vote

The 18-month measure requires certain retailers to close midnight to 5 a.m., with liquor-licensed businesses at 2 a.m., with fines up to $1,000 per violation.

Overview

  • Supervisors approved the expansion 8–2, with Jackie Fielder and Shamann Walton opposed and Stephen Sherrill absent.
  • The ordinance targets businesses such as corner stores and smoke shops in parts of South of Market following a mid-2024 Tenderloin pilot.
  • Backers cited police data showing a 14% drop in overnight violent and narcotics incidents and a 17.9% decline in calls for service during curfew hours.
  • A peer-reviewed study estimated a 56% reduction in Tenderloin drug-related incidents during curfew hours, though its lead author and other criminologists called the findings preliminary and flagged possible displacement.
  • City Attorney David Chiu separately announced prosecutions of nine Tenderloin convenience stores alleged to be fronts for gambling and drugs, presented as part of a broader enforcement strategy.