San Francisco's Psychedelic Church Zide Door to Close Over City Disputes

The Church of Ambrosia's San Francisco branch cites costly building code demands and alleged harassment as reasons for its closure by year-end.

Zide Door, the San Francisco branch of the Church of Ambrosia, will shut down operations on December 28, 2024, due to financial and regulatory challenges.
The church, which offers psilocybin mushrooms and cannabis as religious sacraments, claims the San Francisco Planning Department imposed excessive and costly structural demands, including $200,000 in window upgrades.
City officials deny allegations of harassment and religious discrimination, pointing instead to unresolved building code violations, including plumbing and electrical issues and unpermitted alterations.
The church's founder, Pastor Dave Hodges, asserts that the closure reflects broader difficulties in operating within San Francisco's regulatory environment and plans to continue operations at its Oakland location.
While psilocybin remains illegal in California, San Francisco and Oakland have deprioritized enforcement, allowing the church to exist in a legal gray area.