San Francisco venue groups ask commission to push emergency relief for live-music sector

Representatives of San Francisco’s independent-venue sector urged the Entertainment Commission on Nov. 17 to press city leaders for emergency aid to keep music venues solvent through the pandemic.

"We are here this evening to make this entertainment commission acutely aware of the dire situation we face during this pandemic," said Rob Reddy, cofounder and artistic director of Piano Fight, speaking for the San Francisco Venue Coalition and the Independent Venue Alliance. Reddy and other presenters described venues as among the first businesses to close and likely among the last to reopen.

The coalition outlined a relief package they want the commission to champion. Key requests included direct emergency grants to cover rent, payroll, utilities and insurance; a legacy-business program tailored to venues with reduced eligibility timelines; an extension of commercial eviction protections through 2021; permanent waivers of certain license fees and local taxes; a refund or elimination of unsecured 2020 property taxes and a five-year exemption; an 18-month expansion of a local board resolution protecting venue spaces from rezoning; and a review of SFMTA permitting and fees with the goal of making costs predictable and fair. Casey Latamuk said the coalition would provide a detailed written package to the commission’s executive director for the hearing record.

Speakers argued the economic case for urgent action. The presenters cited a city controller study and local estimates to show the broader economic role venues play: "Over 3,800 nightlife establishments in San Francisco employed over 63,000 workers and generated an estimated $7,200,000,000 in spending," a coalition speaker said, and listed state and city relief examples from other jurisdictions to illustrate models for direct funding.

Commissioners expressed sympathy and discussed next steps. Several members said they could not vote on draft legislation at the hearing because the item was agendized as discussion-only, but they offered to help shepherd proposals through city processes, send informal letters of support, and consider placing a formal endorsement on a future agenda. President Ben Blime said the commission would put the coalition’s materials in the public record and explore options for formal and informal support.

The presentation ended with offers from coalition representatives to meet with commissioners and city staff to refine proposals, and a pledge to send a written relief package to be distributed to commissioners and appended to the hearing record.

Looking ahead, commissioners discussed adding the proposal to a future agenda for a potential vote or formal recommendation to supervisors and the mayor’s office.