SF Collective pitches Gellert Park night market; commissioners call for clearer nonprofit messaging

Dean Yariza, cofounder and CEO of SF Collective, pitched a proposal to the Daly City Recreation Commission on March 24 to hold recurring night or day markets in Daly City — potentially centered at Gellert Park — as a low-barrier way to help small vendors, activate public spaces and keep more spending in the local economy.

Yariza said SF Collective grew from pandemic-era events in San Diego and the East Bay and has worked with Filipino community partners and Seafood City in earlier local activations. “The next is $100,000 of economic activity generated from each event,” Yariza said, describing both direct vendor receipts and peripheral spending at nearby businesses as measures of impact. He estimated an event could host roughly 50 to 100 vendors and said SF Collective’s vendor fees would be “small by Bay Area standards, literally $50 to $100.”

Commissioners welcomed the concept as a potential boost to community engagement and small-business development but urged caution on logistics and public messaging. Vice Chair Marcelino told Yariza the presentation and social-media materials did not clearly communicate that SF Collective’s federal tax-exempt status is pending. “Your messaging is conflicting right now because of the materials you’ve put out to the public,” Marcelino said. Yariza acknowledged he had not yet received an IRS determination letter and that his organization operates with California nonprofit registration while its federal 501(c)(3) status is pending; he said he would update public materials to make the distinction clear.

Commissioner Nor Ortiz and others flagged operational issues the commission would want resolved for a larger-scale event: permitting, security, fencing, parking and capacity limits at park sites. Commissioners suggested alternative venues with existing event infrastructure — including the Cal Palace site mentioned in the meeting — and recommended SF Collective also consult the Small Business Commission, which handles business-focused partnerships. Staff noted the commission does not currently have a fee schedule or established process for large-format events and said formal partnerships that involve city resources would need review by the city manager and, as appropriate, the City Council.

The commission took no formal action on the proposal at this meeting. Chair Montanez said any fundraising partnership or formal collaboration would require clarity about legal status and staff and council-level review; Yariza said he could proceed with privately funded pilot events if necessary but welcomed future meetings to coordinate with city staff. The commission also encouraged Yariza to return with clarified materials and more detailed logistics once the organization’s status and venue plan were settled.

At the meeting staff also announced Spring Fun Day, set for April 4 at Westlake Park, and the commission approved routine procedural items including the meeting agenda and February 24 minutes. The Recreation Commission adjourned after discussing agenda-building and quorum for the next meeting.

Next steps: Yariza said he expects federal paperwork could take about three months; commissioners and staff asked him to update public messaging immediately and to pursue the appropriate facility-rental process or inter-commission referrals before any city-owned partnerships are formalized.