Permitted community vendors or a safety hazard?

A group of street vendors who said they have been following regulations and have permits to sell their goods rallied near the 24th Street Mission BART station on Wednesday morning, protesting a proposed ban by Supervisor Hillary Ronen that is set to begin on Monday.

Last month, Ronen proposed banning all vendors along Mission Street for 90 days, saying it would help city workers, who she says face threats of violence, clean the area.

“I recently learned that DPW workers who enforce the law have been assaulted and had their lives threatened by individuals selling stolen goods on the street,” Ronen said in her latest monthly newsletter. “I also found out that DPW workers are wearing bullet proof vests to work and that many workers filed grievances through their union so they no longer had to work in the Mission because they feared for their safety.”

Ronen said designated areas for vendors are expected to open at 17th and Mission streets, however vendors at the rally said there are not enough spots to fit everyone.

‘Deeply immoral and unconscionable’

Many of the speakers, members of the newly formed Mission Street Vendors Association, also proposed delaying the 90-day ban until after the holidays, saying this is their busiest time of the year.

“It is deeply immoral and unconscionable to take away what for what many folks is their only livelihood during the holiday season,” said Kevin Ortiz, president of the San Francisco Latinx Democratic Club.

Ortiz also questioned why the vendors could not be relocated to some of the 74 empty vacancies in the area.

Chants of “Si se puede” broke out as speakers took turns airing their frustrations.

Sofia Lopez, a vendor who spoke at the rally, said the blame for rising crime in the neighborhood is wrongly being placed on vendors like her.

“Many of us work so hard, we don’t have time to watch TV when we get home. This took a lot of us by surprise.” Sofia Lopez, San Francisco street vendor

“None of us are thieves. The problem is from people who are not from San Francisco. Here, we all know each other. Here in the Mission, I feel at home,” Lopez said.

Lopez also said Ronen had promised to meet with the vendor’s association but has not yet replied to their request for a meeting.

“Many of us work so hard, we don’t have time to watch TV when we get home. This took a lot of us by surprise,” Lopez added.

“I don’t see the support nor the help they are giving us. Instead, they are dividing us as vendors. For what? To finish with us,” said Carlos Escalante, another vendor, who felt they would not be allowed back after the 90 days Ronen is calling for.

‘We are workers and we come here to work’

Sidewalk vending has been decriminalized in California since 2018 with the passage of Senate Bill 946. However, complaints often arise regarding crowding on the streets, alleged theft of some goods being sold and alleged safety hazards.

“Ronen says we are bringing crime and problems to the Mission but that isn’t true. We are workers and we come here to work,” said vendor Luz Ledezma. “We are not asking for anything irrational. We are not criminals.”

Last year, the Board of Supervisors voted to approve legislation that established a framework to regulate street vendors in the hopes of tackling the sale of stolen goods.