State Senator Scott Wiener and new San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie have proposed a crackdown on sellers who fence their wares on municipal streets.
The “SAFE Streets Act” was announced by both leaders on Monday. Law enforcement would be able to target those who sell stolen products thanks to the policy.
“This bill will give San Francisco the tools we need to crack down on retail theft,” Lurie stated during Monday’s press conference.
The SAFE Streets Act would provide the city the authority to mandate that vendors who sell goods “frequently obtained through retail theft” obtain a permit, with the Board of Supervisors compiling a list.
Vendors who are found to be selling those goods without a permission or evidence of purchase will be in violation. The seller may be charged with a misdemeanor and face up to six months in jail starting with the third infraction.
“We need to end the sale of stolen goods on our streets, while supporting the legitimate street vendors who bring so much vibrancy to our neighborhoods,” Wiener stated in a press release. “Criminal organizations are fueling retail theft and bringing violence and chaos to our streets, displacing legitimate street vendors, harming local businesses, and undermining public safety.”
The majority of street vendors, including those who sell items on the list with a permit or evidence of purchase, those who sell prepared food, and those who sell commodities with a permit, would not be affected by the move, according to leaders.
On city streets, especially in the Mission District, fencing of stolen goods has grown to be a serious problem. In response, the city temporarily banned street vendors in the Mission in 2023.
Wiener proposed legislation last year that would have targeted retailers of stolen items, but it was shelved in committee.
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