SF issues 396 warnings under Mission Street vendor law aimed at curbing suspected stolen goods

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- San Francisco's Mission District is seeing changes on its commercial corridors following the implementation of a law aimed at regulating street vending and reducing the sale of suspected stolen goods, according to vendors, lawmakers and police.

For years, residents regularly witnessed people selling items presumed to be stolen on neighborhood sidewalks. In August 2026, some community members say conditions have improved.

Rodrigo Lopez, president of the Mission Street Vendors Association, said the city has made significant progress in addressing the issue.

"Everything is under control. Not, 100%. And we don't expect it to be 100%. So right now, at this point, the city has control over that issue," Lopez said.

Lopez said the neighborhood's 33 permitted vendors are now operating in designated locations. He also supports enforcement efforts targeting people selling merchandise without proof of purchase.

"Legal vendor positions between 25th Street and 22nd Street," Lopez said.

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The changes follow the approval of Senate Bill 276 by the California Senate last year. The legislation allows San Francisco to require street vendors selling merchandise to obtain permits as a way to crack down on the sale of stolen items.

State Sen. Scott Wiener, who authored the bill, said the goal is to strengthen legitimate street vending while reducing illegal sales.

"What we want is to go back to the way it's been in the Mission for a long time, where we have street vendors who have permits, who are running small businesses, who are out there working hard every day, selling various things that make the neighborhood better," Senator Wiener said.

According to city data, in the two months since the law's implementation, the San Francisco Police Department has issued 396 warnings, 46 first-time citations and six second-time citations. No misdemeanor arrests have been made. Under the enforcement framework, no one has gotten misdemeanor.

Officer Robert Rueca said the department's focus is on education and compliance.

"It's really about teaching these violators that there's better ways to conduct business," Rueca said.

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Despite the reported progress, police acknowledged ongoing challenges during nighttime hours due to staffing limitations.

Asked about concerns from residents and business owners who say conditions worsen at night, Officer Rueca said enforcement remains constrained by available personnel.

"We hear with those residents, and those business owners are saying right now we are challenged with our staffing as our staffing improves, as our staffing increases, we're going to be able to increase those enforcement operations," Rueca said.

The owner of Mi Tierra Market said other neighborhood issues, including homelessness and the drug crisis, remain concerns. Still, he said the street-vending enforcement effort has made him optimistic about the future.

"I'm getting excited about expanding and getting another location as well. So, we are here to stay," said Adel Alghazali of Mi Tierra Market.

While community leaders, vendors and police point to improvements since the permitting system took effect, officials acknowledge that enforcement challenges remain, particularly during overnight hours.