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Commission narrows Hue’s live‑entertainment hours after lengthy hearing, sets six‑month review
Summary
After a contested hearing about public-safety incidents and allegations of selective enforcement, the Entertainment Commission reduced Hue/EC953’s allowed live-entertainment hours and kept other security conditions in place, adding a six-month look-back for police, neighbors and the operator to report on outcomes.
The San Francisco Entertainment Commission voted to amend hours of live entertainment for Hue (EC953) and ordered a six‑month review of the decision after a lengthy, sometimes heated hearing in which the owner and his attorney disputed police evidence and neighbors described ongoing quality‑of‑life impacts.
Attorney Robert Bloom and owner Bennett Montoya argued the commission’s prior conditions and some police actions were the result of “selective enforcement” and had devastated the business. Bloom said an ABC appeals board had concluded selective targeting in related administrative proceedings and that the venue’s records show compliance with sound limits. Bloom also urged the commission to remove restrictions that he said were disproportionate.
Central Station officers and Captain-designated staff presented video and CAD evidence from a May 27 incident in which patrons left the club, engaged in a group assault at a nearby liquor store and, according to the police presentation, a person ran to a car, retrieved firearms and fired shots into the air before police took a suspect into custody with weapons and ammunition. Officer Stephen Theis summarized the incident for commissioners, noting the footage showed Hue patrons moving across the street and joining a larger assault near Broadway Liquors.
Neighborhood residents and business owners provided testimony describing repeated noise, crowding and safety concerns. Andrew Diamond and other neighbors said the block has been materially calmer since the commission imposed conditions earlier in the year and credited the restrictions with reducing calls for service.
Commissioners debated whether the latest evidence showed the conditions were working. Several commissioners said they saw measurable reduction in incidents and urged operators to continue working with police and community groups to prevent future problems. Others said the operator still needed to demonstrate stronger, ongoing accountability.
The commission amended Hue’s hours of live entertainment to end at 12:00 a.m. Sunday–Tuesday and 1:00 a.m. Wednesday–Saturday, retained the other security and operational conditions on the permit (including ID scanning, marked security, staffing levels and a security plan), and scheduled a six‑month look‑back review in March 2019 to assess compliance and neighborhood impacts. The motion passed on recorded roll call (Commissioner Lee Aye; Commissioner Tan Aye; President Ben Bridal Aye; Commissioner Camino No; Commissioner Perez No).
