San Francisco moves popular United Nations Plaza Farmers’ Market to nearby Fulton Street parking lot starting September 3, vendors not happy

(SAN FRANCISCO) Starting September 3, the popular Heart of the City's Farmers' Market (HOCFM) will be relocated to the nearby Fulton Street parking lot after 42 years of operating at the United Nations Plaza. The market and vendors are not happy with the relocation plan.

The plan by the City is to transform the plaza into a skateboarding and recreation haven. The HOCFM has been one of the most famous farmers' markets in San Francisco and runs twice a week on all Wednesdays and Sundays.

The new location of the farmers' market is on Fulton Street between Larkin and Hyde Streets, and between the San Francisco Public Library and the Asian Art Museum, one block from the original farmers' market at the United Nations Plaza.

United Nations Plaza has also been known as the city's open drug market with an overdose crisis. San Francisco's Recreation and Park Department proposed a pilot project in July to make the Plaza safer.

Starting September 3rd, the customers who shop at the farmers' market on Fulton Street will receive validation for free parking at the Civic Center Garage, located at 355 McAllister Street. This free parking will be funded by the City.

The operator of the market (HOCFM) opposes the project. “We are reluctantly moving because the City informs us it is necessary for the health of this community,” said Laura Brainin-Rodriquez, HOCFM’s Board President, who has served on the Board as a community member since 2007.

“We are doing everything in our power to make sure the services we provide to our low-income community aren’t negatively affected, so we can retain this essential community resource despite this enormous challenge. We are too important for the City to lose. We provide an essential and irreplaceable food access program, serving a high need community as well as provide employment for community members. Our 42 year commitment to serve the Tenderloin speaks for itself," said Brainin-Rodriquez.

The relocation would also reduce the market's operating hours for one hour on both days, from 7am to 5pm or 7am to 5:30pm to new hours 7am to 4pm.

HOCFM has complained that the new market area on Fulton Street is too small to accommodate safe load out of vendor vehicles for an extended hour market, forcing an earlier closing time. As a result, it would reduce the amount of produce the market can move into the surrounding extremely low-income and food insecure neighborhoods including Tenderloin.

Park officials stated that there would be enough space on Fulton Street to accommodate all vendors and a wide array of city support available for the market.

"The new space at Fulton Plaza location is actually larger than the market’s footprint at UN Plaza. At the height of the season, the Heart of the City Farmers Market has 70 stalls, and the new location across the street can accommodate all of them," said Daniel Montes, Communications Manager of the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department.

Chinese and Asian shoppers have been frequent to the market due to the location close to many senior housing facilities in the Tenderloin.

Mrs. Wong of Tenderloin has been a loyal customer of the farmer' market at the United Nations Plaza. "I have been getting used to coming to this joyful market for many years. It is great. I don't know how the impact will be to me at the new location, although both locations are very close to each other," said Wong.