Fellow Community Members,

We have heard your comments and responses to the fencing at 24th Street BART Plaza. Calle 24 wants to offer clarifying statements in our role over the closure.

Our program, “Calle Limpia, Corazon Contento” was designed by Calle 24 Latino Cultural District with the objective to recover our communities with a program that includes community maintenance, a vendor program, and a micro mural project that utilizes culturally relevant and humane approaches.

Over the past 5 months, Calle 24 has been working with over 120 vendors through our vendor program. Through this program, we are assisting vendors in obtaining their business registration, acquiring LLCs and seller permits. This program was created so that vendors survive changes in vending regulations by the City of San Francisco that could remove vendors by way of the Department of Public Works. Calle 24’s goal is to protect our district’s unique vendors who are an essential part of our community. We are working to ensure that they continue to sell their goods and feed their families. We hold regular meetings with vendors to prepare them for upcoming legislative changes. One of Calle 24’s goals is to maintain vendors in their current locations, prevent the confiscation of goods, and as a last resort relocate vendors to suitable locations on Mission Street.

Calle 24 is asking that the City of San Francisco provide sustainable and long-lasting solutions addressing the root causes of systemic inequity affecting San Francisco’s most vulnerable populations. The fence is temporary and will be removed within 60-90 days, in that time, we are collaborating with BART, and the City of San Francisco to re-open the plaza as a cultural hub and community space. Calle 24 recognizes that fencing 24th street plaza is a strong visual and triggering measure for our community, while we do not agree with fences we had to find a short term way of minimizing the foot print to control the safety issues that our community vendors were facing and reporting. Calle recognizes that the fence is a short-term tool and does not solve the deeply rooted inequities that are affecting the City of San Francisco at large.

Calle 24 continues to advocate and support community safety, health, and vitality.

In Community,

Calle 24 Latino Cultural District