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State, city and local partners pitch 'hospitality zone' and outline fentanyl emergency actions at SFMTA event
Summary
Sen. Scott Wiener, Mayor Daniel Lurie and local partners promoted SB 395 to create low‑cost liquor licenses for a hospitality zone to help downtown recovery. Mayor Lurie also highlighted the recently passed Fentanyl State of Emergency Ordinance and announced a 24/7 police‑friendly stabilization center at 822 Gary Street.
Sen. Scott Wiener and Mayor Daniel Lurie joined downtown business and neighborhood partners at the SFMTA meeting on Feb. 18 to promote new legislation and recovery steps for downtown San Francisco.
Wiener said draft Senate Bill 395 would create 20 low‑cost liquor licenses for a city‑defined hospitality zone to lower the barrier to entry for restaurants and nightlife operations in areas such as Union Square and Yerba Buena. "SB 395 will create 20 new low cost liquor licenses for a hospitality zone defined by the city," Wiener said, arguing the change will help new bars and restaurants open at lower cost.
Mayor Lurie framed the proposal as one part of a broader downtown recovery effort. He cited recent big events — the NBA All‑Star weekend and the Lunar New Year parade — as evidence that the city can attract visitors and said his administration is rolling out tools to make it easier for small businesses to open, including PermitSF and hospitality zone partnerships. Lurie also detailed the city's response to the fentanyl crisis, noting the Board of Supervisors' passage of a Fentanyl State of Emergency Ordinance and announcing a first action under that authority: "This spring, we will open up a 24 hour, 7 day a week, police friendly stabilization center at 822 Gary Street," he said, describing it as a medical‑staffed facility intended to divert people from hospital emergency departments and accept drop‑offs from police and paramedics.
Local partners — including Marissa Rodriguez of the Union Square Alliance, Jill Linwood of the Yerba Buena Partnership and Supervisor Danny Sauter — described strong hotel occupancy and customer demand over the All‑Star weekend and urged policy changes that allow more hospitality uses and outdoor activation. Industry and neighborhood speakers said the hospitality zone could attract investment and diversify the downtown economy, while the mayor and state legislators emphasized the need to pair economic recovery with public safety and supports for people experiencing substance use disorder.
What happens next: Wiener and the mayor said the legislation will be refined with local partners and stakeholders; the city will determine zoning boundaries for any hospitality zone in consultation with the Board of Supervisors and local neighborhood groups.
