Mayor Lurie Signs Legislation To Make It Easier To Throw Block Parties And Neighborhood Events

SAN FRANCISCO – Mayor Daniel Lurie today signed legislation that will make it easier for residents and organizations to throw block parties and host community events, continuing his work to make San Francisco’s permitting process faster, more predictable, and more transparent. The legislation eliminates a time-consuming public hearing requirement for events that close no more than three blocks and do not affect intersections or Muni routes. This streamlined process will benefit up to 90% of applicants, making neighborhood events like farmers markets and small street fairs simpler and quicker to produce.

About a year into Mayor Lurie’s work to make permitting faster and more transparent, he launched a fully digital permitting portal that is allowing homeowners and business owners to obtain the permits they need online, more easily than ever. The new portal is already delivering results—cutting Fire Department wait times in half and reducing Permit Center trips by as much as 15%. Since the launch of PermitSF, the initiative has produced 20 ordinances, including common-sense reforms to remove burdens for homeowners to repair their decks and park in their driveways, or for businesses to set up cafe tables on sidewalks and paint their own business names on their storefronts. To continue this work, the mayor has announced plans to create a more coordinated and accountable permitting process by merging the Department of Building Inspection, the Planning Department, and the Permit Center.

“We should be making it easy for neighbors to come together for community events, because when our streets are energized and activated, San Francisco is stronger,” said Mayor Lurie. “Today we’re getting city government out of the way of community events and making our city a more vibrant, welcoming place. Thank you to my colleagues on the Board of Supervisors who passed this common-sense change unanimously, because everyone understands that making it easier to bring people together is good for our neighborhoods and good for San Francisco."

The legislation is co-sponsored by Board of Supervisors President Rafael Mandelman along with District 4 Supervisor Alan Wong, District 5 Supervisor Bilal Mahmood, District 3 Supervisor Danny Sauter, District 6 Supervisor Matt Dorsey, District 11 Supervisor Chyanne Chen, District 7 Supervisor Myrna Melgar, and District 2 Supervisor Stephen Sherrill. The ordinance passed with unanimous support from the Board of Supervisors on May 12th.

Before the change, every event on a city street required a formal, public hearing—no matter how small it is, or where it’s taking place. Hearings are conducted by the Interdepartmental Staff Committee on Traffic and Transportation (ISCOTT), which includes representatives from the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA), San Francisco Fire Department, San Francisco Police Department, and the Entertainment Commission. In 2025, ISCOTT issued 533 special event permits.

By shifting straightforward, low‑impact events to administrative review, the city will reduce permitting timelines by several weeks while maintaining opportunities for public input. In addition to simplifying the process for event organizers, administrative review is more efficient for city staff and public safety partners, who can focus resources on more complex permitting needs.

“Community events are part of what makes San Francisco’s neighborhoods so special,” said Supervisor Wong. “They bring neighbors together, celebrate the unique cultures and communities that define our city, and strengthen the sense of connection that makes neighborhoods thrive. Our job is to make it easier for communities to come together while preserving the safeguards that help these events succeed.”

“We’re proud to work with our city partners to streamline the permitting process for special events, helping make our streets places for connection and celebration,” said Viktoriya Wise, SFMTA Streets Director. “From block parties to farmers markets, this more efficient, coordinated process makes it easier for communities to use our streets in ways that support neighborhoods and businesses across San Francisco.”

“Running a farmers market means juggling a lot of moving parts, and the permitting process has always been one of the toughest,” said Allen Moy, Pacific Coast Farmers’ Market Association Executive Director. “This change is a huge help for small community events like the Castro Farmers’ Market. Anything that cuts down on red tape and lets us focus more on bringing neighbors together—and less on paperwork—is a win for everyone.”
Today’s announcement builds on the city’s broader effort to modernize and simplify the special event permitting system—an effort aimed at improving public safety, strengthening coordination across departments, and removing long‑standing barriers for community organizers.

Key components of the city’s ongoing improvements to the special event permitting system include:

• Launching a unified, user‑friendly website that takes applicants through every required step. Previously, organizers had to navigate up to seven different sites to locate instructions and forms.
• Introducing new, city-approved site plan templates for downtown’s most active streets and entertainment zones—eliminating the need for costly architectural drawings and repeated submissions that could total thousands of dollars and add months of delay.
• Rolling out a digital intake form in the PermitSF portal that provides applicants with customized guidance on which permits they need, the timelines involved, and how to apply.
• Assigning dedicated city staff to help applicants through the permitting process, ensuring more consistent support and clearer communication.