Save the Farmers Market Rally & Press Conference

FARMERS, CUSTOMERS AND D5 SUPERVISOR DEAN PRESTON STAGING A RALLY & PRESS CONFERENCE ABOUT FORCED RELOCATION & DOWNSIZING OF 42 YEAR OLD HEART OF THE CITY FARMER’S MARKET


San Francisco City Hall steps (08/30/2023, 1pm) - A protest, rally and press conference about a false promise, the forced relocation and downsizing of San Francisco’s Heart of the City Farmers Market (HOTCFM) is happening this Wed, Aug 30th at 1pm on City Hall Steps with D5 Supervisor Dean Preston, farmers and long time customers speaking out.


After a meeting between the stakeholders including our city and the HOTCFM management, organized last Thursday (Aug 24th) by Supervisor Dean Preston, we learned that our city (SF Rec & Park Director Phil Ginsberg) has misled the manager and directors of the HOTCFM (Heart of the City Farmers Market) about some important issues including changing a six month trial that the HOTCFM board previously agreed to into a two year trial to make way for a skateboard court and cement ping pong tables that few are asking for.


As a result and after speaking to the farmers, the grassroots residents association named The Tenderloin People’s Congress (tenderloin vision 2020) has organized a rally and press conference at 1pm, Wed, Aug 30th at SF City Hall steps (Polk street side).

MORE BACKGROUND:
A survey of the farmers done by Tenderloin People’s Congress members revealed that no one from the city first spoke to them. The farmers are upset that their upcoming forced relocation to the Fulton Street parking lot (between the Main Library and Asian Art Museum) beginning on Sun Sept 3rd will cause hardship and lost sales (reducing customer facing tables from 3 sides to 1 side, not being able to keep produce cool in nearby trucks, insufficient early morning lighting, no tent tie downs, trucks parked offset without security, disabled access issues and more). Note that in a neighborhood without a supermarket, this Farmers Market is critical for the health and welfare for many low income Tenderloin and central city residents.

Steve Pulliam, the HOTCFM Market Manager, said that at minimum, they need the following in order to make this move succeed:

6-month pilot with benchmarks that can measure the success or failure of project/relocation.
Extra security for vehicles parked off site.

Adequate infrastructure including sufficient lighting for early morning set up and anchors to tie down their canopies.

Financial compensation to farmers for the burden/costs of the move. (Costs could include extra weights for canopies, new canopies since some are not strong enough for wind without tie downs, dollies, carts, extra help for unloading/restocking and loading)

Allocated space for market/vendor expansion to financially sustainable levels.
So far, the city has not offered any of the above.

UPCOMING RALLY & PRESS CONFERENCE:
On Wednesday August 30th we will first meet at 12:15pm by the Simon Bolivar bronze (man on a horse) statue at the Farmer's Market (UN Plaza near Hyde St) to inform farmers and customers. After this, we will march by 1pm to San Francisco City Hall Steps for a rally and press conference with City Supervisor Dean Preston. Please join us.