Supervisors adopt resolution urging Safeway to reverse Fillmore store closure; community wins short-term extension

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors on Jan. 23 adopted a resolution urging Safeway Inc. to reverse its plan to close the supermarket at 1335 Webster Street in the Fillmore, after weeks of community organizing and a large public turnout at Monday's meeting. Supervisor Dean Preston introduced the measure and moved a minor amendment to reflect a company announcement that the store's planned March 2024 closure would be delayed to January 2025.

The resolution asks Safeway to reverse its closure plan or, at minimum, to work with the community and city officials to produce a transition plan that protects access to grocery, pharmacy and WIC services. Preston said the city needs rules requiring earlier notice and formal community engagement when neighborhood-serving grocery stores plan to close.

Why it matters: The Webster Street Safeway serves seniors, people with disabilities, families on Supplemental Nutrition Program benefits and other residents who lack convenient alternatives. Many speakers at the board meeting said the store is the neighborhood's primary full-service grocery,…