Mayor Lurie Celebrates Signing of Safe Streets Act to Combat Sale of Stolen Goods in San Francisco Streets

SAN FRANCISCO – Mayor Daniel Lurie today celebrated the signing of the SAFE Streets Act (SB 276), allowing San Francisco to combat the sale of stolen goods and continue the work to deliver clean and safe streets across the city. Authored by State Senator Scott Wiener and sponsored by Mayor Lurie, the legislation supports San Francisco’s community of legal vendors while granting the city new authority to address fencing—the open-air sale of stolen goods that gives rise to retail theft and undermines public safety.

Since taking office, Mayor Lurie has worked to deliver clean and safe streets in the Mission District and neighborhoods across San Francisco. Earlier this month, the mayor signed an agreement with Caltrans to keep San Francisco’s streets clean and safe and address encampments, litter, debris, and weeds in SoMa and other neighborhoods. As part of his Breaking the Cycle plan to combat the behavioral health and homelessness crisis, Mayor Lurie integrated the city’s street outreach teams and stood up recovery and treatment beds with San Francisco’s encampment numbers reaching their lowest levels on record.

“San Francisco’s recovery depends on safe and clean streets,” said Mayor Lurie. “The SAFE Streets Act gives us the authority to enforce illegal vending operations while protecting hardworking, permitted vendors and supporting small businesses. Thank you to Senator Wiener and our state partners for advancing this critical piece of legislation and to Governor Newsom for signing it into law.”

“This law gives San Francisco a new tool to put a stop to the sale of stolen goods on our streets—which pushes out legitimate street vendors and creates severe safety issues,” said Senator Wiener. “By holding perpetrators accountable while uplifting our fantastic community of street vendors, SB 276 takes a bold step to resolve a stubborn issue that has plagued San Francisco streets in recent years. I am incredibly proud to have worked with grassroots leaders like the Mission Street Vendors Association and CLECHA in crafting this legislation, and I’m grateful for Mayor Lurie’s steadfast partnership and relentless focus on San Francisco’s recovery. Governor Newsom has once again shown his dedication to supporting San Francisco’s recovery with this signature.”

Under the SAFE Streets Act, San Francisco law enforcement can issue infractions and, after multiple violations, a misdemeanor against those who sell stolen goods without proof of purchase. The bill allows San Francisco to require vendors to obtain permits for the sale of merchandise that the Board of Supervisors designates as commonly tied to retail theft. Those who fail to do so will face escalating penalties. The law specifies that a first violation is a warning, and second and third violations are infractions, while a fourth violation may be treated as a misdemeanor punishable by up to six months in county jail.

The new criminal offenses in the bill do not apply to the vast majority of street vendors, including those who sell goods with a permit, sell goods on the list with a permit or with proof of purchase, or sell prepared food with or without a permit.

Illegal fencing has created unsafe conditions for residents, small businesses, and the city’s licensed vendors. Large fencing operations often displace legitimate vendors from the marketplace. The SAFE Streets Act directly addresses these challenges by targeting organized fencing without disrupting lawful business.

Since 2022, the Office of Economic and Workforce Development (OEWD) has partnered with Public Works, the Department of Emergency Management and the Police Department and community organizations to curb illegal street vending in the Mission through a temporary moratorium that has served as a key tool to stop unpermitted activity. At the same time, the two agencies launched a Street Vending Pilot Program to uplift permitted vendors, enabling them to sell goods legally while supporting economic opportunity for immigrant communities and others getting their economic footing and preserving an important part of San Francisco’s cultural fabric.

Among businesses surveyed in June 2025, 45% of respondents indicated that the Mission Street corridor has become safer since the moratoriumtook effect, 53% indicated they had seen positive change along the Mission Street corridor, and 57% of respondents noticed a significant improvement in walking in or around the BART plazas at 16th Street or 24th Street.

“Through partnering with community leaders like Mission Street Vendors Association, we helped shape SB 276 to reflect the real and immediate needs of our vendors and small businesses citywide,” said Anne Taupier, Executive Director of OEWD. “The passage of the SAFE Streets Act means we can now focus our energy and resources into attracting customers and championing the entrepreneurship and economic growth of our street vendors, ensuring they have the opportunity to thrive alongside San Francisco’s brick-and-mortar businesses.”

“San Francisco has made progress in creating a safer and cleaner Mission Street corridor through the strategic permit pilot program and stepped-up outreach and enforcement,” said Carla Short, Director of San Francisco Public Works. “Now with the SAFE Streets Act signed into law, San Francisco has another critical tool to go after the bad actors and build on the momentum to improve neighborhood conditions benefitting both the broader community and the vendors who have long contributed to the vibrant culture of the Mission.”

OEWD also worked with the Mayor’s Office and state partners to bring the Mission Street Vendors Association and other community voices into the legislative process in support of SB 276. By maintaining a strong relationship with the Street Vendors Association and collaborating closely with Mission small businesses, OEWD has advanced efforts to reform street vending while promoting safer streets for workers, customers, and the community. The bill has been supported by leading community groups including Mission Street Vendors Association, CLECHA, and Mission Streets Merchants Association.

“The Mission Merchants Association stands with our small business community, from hardworking street vendors to brick-and-mortar shops, with undeniable support and love. A safe and welcoming environment is essential for all to thrive, and the sales of fentanyl, stolen goods, and other illicit activity deeply harm our neighborhood,” said Ryen Motzek, President of the Mission Merchants Association. “We also recognize that desperate times can lead people to desperate measures, and we are committed to connecting individuals with resources, job placement, and opportunities that support a healthier path forward. We remain dedicated to protecting and uplifting every entrepreneur who contributes positively to the Mission District community.”

“Street vending has always been an integral part of the Latino culture in the Mission District; fencing has never been and never has been supported in our community,” said William Cartagena Ortiz, Treasurer and Founder of CLECHA. “We are here to support our street vendors, many of which have served the community for decades, and ensure they have a safe, robust, and cultural centric environment in which to thrive and prosper in.”

“Today the governor signs SB 276. We support this legislation not as a tool for enforcement, but as a framework for clarity,” said Rodrigo Lopez, President of the Mission Street Vendors Association. “It helps us protect the livelihoods of vendors, pave the way for an organized process, and ensures that the very people who make our community so special are the ones who get to define their future.”

“We’re grateful to the governor for signing the SAFE Streets Act, building on his strong leadership to combat retail theft and last year’s historic reform package developed in collaboration with the California Retailers Association and Senator Wiener,” said Rachel Michelin, President of the California Retailers Association. “SB 276 ensures we can continue celebrating San Francisco’s vibrant street vendor culture while keeping our communities safe by holding those who fence stolen goods accountable.”