1 month of San Francisco curfew enforcement on Tenderloin businesses: Is it working?

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) — In an effort to combat crime and open-air drug markets in San Francisco’s Tenderloin neighborhood, city leaders imposed a late-night curfew on businesses from midnight to 5 a.m.

It’s been about a month since the enforcement began, and ABC7 news reporter Luz Pena went to the area to find out if the curfew is working.

For the last seven years, Kathy Vaughn has lived in San Francisco’s Tenderloin but lately, an increase in crime led to a change in her routine.

“I put myself on lockdown at 7 p.m. During the winter time, I put it at 5 p.m. because I don’t feel safe out at night,” said Vaughn.

In June, San Francisco’s Mayor and Board of Supervisors approved a plan that banned businesses except restaurants and bars from staying open between midnight and 5 a.m. It’s been about a month and Kathy Vaughn is noticing the change.

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“It’s getting better. It’s like a little bit at a time. Specially just around Turk and Leavenworth – it just became to me dangerous,” said Vaughn.

The Tenderloin Housing Clinic pushed for this curfew and their preliminary data points show the areas between O’Farrell and McAllister and from Polk to Jones where the curfew is enforced are doing better.

“It has been very successful I would say for a month. We have seen less of congregation in various parts of the Tenderloin and in the night and we have seen less crime sort of speak. less gunshots, less reported crime,” said Pratibha Tekkey, Tenderloin Housing Clinic Community organizer director.

Our ABC7 News data team looked into incident reports from midnight to 5 a.m. in the Tenderloin Police District, which includes where the curfew is being enforced.

We noticed a drop in incident reports for the month of August so far compared to prior months before the curfew was enacted.

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Despite this glimpse of progress, businesses that have had to close by midnight say they are suffering.

“Family-owned businesses shouldn’t be affected by this. What is going on on the streets, what is going on in the stores. Family businesses shouldn’t be affected,” said Ghamdan Algahim, his family owns US Smoke shop. “We used to close at maybe 2 a.m., 3 a.m. and now they are making us close at 12. We don’t even let customers in anymore.”

Other residents want police to crack down on people selling drugs on the sidewalks, not just the businesses.

“There are still people out here selling drugs and selling their illegal stolen goods, right. So, it’s not really all businesses closed for the curfew, is it?” said Taylor Johnson, Tenderloin resident.

For every hour, a store remains open during the curfew hours the city can fine them up to a $1,000. Businesses like the smoke shop say they feel like collateral damage as the city looks for ways to improve an issue that is impacting the neighborhood outside of their stores.