Tenderloin businesses will be subject to new nighttime restrictions

Retail, food and tobacco businesses in a 20-block section of the Tenderloin deemed a "high-crime area" will be banned from operating between midnight and 5am under a new temporary ordinance.

Why it matters: The two-year program, which received the Board of Supervisors' final approval this week, is the latest development in a yearslong effort to tackle drug-related crime and public safety in the Tenderloin .

• It won't apply to restaurants and bars.

Driving the news: While businesses in the section are already restricted from operating from 2-5am, police say large groups of people engaged in illicit drug activities often congregate near open food markets and tobacco establishments in the late night and early morning hours.

• The pilot program aims to deter these gatherings, which the city says "impede law enforcement operations, leave behind significant debris and unsanitary waste, and lead residents of the area to feel unsafe and reluctant to venture outside during nighttime hours."
• The ordinance authorizes the city's public health department to impose administrative fines of up to $1,000 for violations and creates a "private right of action" for people "harmed by a violation."
• The ban targets the area between O'Farrell and McAllister streets and between Polk and Jones streets.

The big picture: The program is supported by several community organizations, including the Tenderloin Housing Clinic and over 520 residents, service workers and groups who delivered a petition to supervisors last month.

• Noting that police have identified higher rates of narcotic and violent crimes from midnight-5am, the petition said "retail stores, whether knowingly or not, facilitate unlawful night markets by providing cheap goods, lighted gathering points, and cover from officers should they need it."
• The Neighborhood Business Alliance and Tenderloin Merchants Association also submitted a letter in support, though it expressed concern that small businesses could suffer job and revenue losses.

What to watch: Once the pilot expires, the city will have the option to remove, extend or re-enact the ordinance.

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