Get ready for more roaming nightlife events around the city as a San Francisco lawmaker submits legislation allowing bars and restaurants in Cow Hollow to sell to-go cups of alcohol during special events on its main drag.
District 2 Supervisor Stephen Sherrill introduced legislation creating an entertainment zone for Union Street, known for its trendy restaurants, boutiques, and salons, during roll call at the Board of Supervisors meeting on March 4.
“Throughout this city restaurants, bars, and small businesses are still fighting to recover, and I think it’s incredibly important to note that 2024 was perhaps the hardest year for restaurants since 2008, and we need to be doing more to help them thrive. Entertainment zones work . . . we’ve seen them transform places like Front Street and Thrive City, and now it is Union Street’s turn,” Sherrill told colleagues at Tuesday’s meeting.
“This legislation builds on the success of our Union Street Festival, an annual event that brings thousands of visitors to the district, too, and now, by establishing an entertainment zone during the festival, we want to encourage these visitors to eat and drink at our many lovely brick-and-mortar restaurants on Union Street, which is going to massively support these shops’ bottom lines.”
The legislation is subject to the board’s 30-day rule and will likely be heard first at the Land Use and Transportation Committee next month.
“Entertainment zones work . . . we’ve seen them transform places like Front Street and Thrive City, and now it is Union Street’s turn,” said Sherrill.
Entertainment zones are allowed under a law drafted by state Senator Scott Wiener and passed in Sacramento in 2023. The law is part of several policies to revitalize business corridors after shutdowns and other knock-on economic effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.
A number of entertainment zones exist in Downtown, South of Market, and Mid-Market due to legislation from former Mayor London Breed and District 6 Supervisor Matt Dorsey. Recently, Board President Rafael Mandelman submitted bills creating entertainment zones in Cole Valley, approved earlier this month, and in the Upper Market/Castro neighborhood, introduced on Feb. 4 and likely to be heard in committee later this month.
Sherill also introduced a resolution supporting legislation sponsored by his predecessor, Assemblywoman Catherine Stefani. The legislation would ensure that suppliers of firearms and accessories to state and local agencies comply with state laws. He also requested a hearing on how the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing (HSH) administers contracts.
“Right now, HSH has roughly 300 contact contracts in place, but we don’t have a clear picture of how many of these include specific performance metrics, specific accountability measures, and what the outcomes that those contracts are intended to drive towards,” the supervisor told colleagues.
“If we’re serious about solving this crisis, and I think we as a group are very serious about solving this crisis, we have to be just as serious about managing and evaluating the services we are paying for.”
