This Week's Top Stories

urban forestry

Lower Haight Residents Win Secondary Review of Planned Ficus Removals on Waller Street

A community campaign stopped the immediate emergency removal of seven mature ficus trees near Steiner Street, forcing a second look from city officials.

More than 400 Lower Haight residents contacted local officials this month to protest planned emergency removals of seven mature ficus trees on Waller Street near Steiner, according to the Lower Haight Local, the neighborhood's volunteer-run nonprofit newspaper. In response, the office of District 5 Supervisor Bilal Mahmood secured a secondary review of the removals before any work could proceed. The trees in question sit on a stretch of Waller Street that has been a flashpoint for urban-forestry disputes for years.

historic preservation

SF Planning Adopts Historic Survey Findings for Haight Street and Cole Valley Commercial Districts

A formal preservation survey adopted in June documents the historical and architectural significance of commercial properties along Haight Street and Cole Valley, setting the stage for potential landmark designations.

San Francisco's Historic Preservation Commission formally adopted Resolution R-1598 in June 2026, approving the SF Survey Findings for the Haight Street, Cole Valley, and Divisadero Street Neighborhood Commercial Districts. The resolution, stemming from a public hearing held June 3, is part of the city's ongoing Citywide Cultural Resources Survey — a multi-year Planning Department program to identify and document places of cultural, historical, and architectural significance.

Muni

Muni Adds Fare Inspectors Amid $307 Million Budget Crisis — N-Judah and Key Routes at Risk Without New Funding

As SFMTA ramps up fare enforcement to close a structural deficit, Cole Valley and Haight riders face uncertainty about the long-term health of the N-Judah and other neighborhood lines.

San Francisco's Municipal Transportation Agency is intensifying fare enforcement on Muni buses and trains, with riders caught skipping the fare now facing a $134 fine. The enforcement push, reported by Hoodline on August 16, comes as the SFMTA confronts a structural deficit of $307 million for the 2026–27 fiscal year — the largest budget shortfall in Muni's history.

Upcoming Events

Through October 25

Forever Grateful Exhibition – Haight Street Art Center

📍 Haight Street Art Center, 215 Haight St (Lower Haight) & Golden Gate Park County Fair Ground Building (opening Sept. 5) · 12:00 PM–6:00 PM

Ongoing

Counterculture Museum — Ongoing Exhibitions

📍 Counterculture Museum, 1485 Haight St (Haight-Ashbury) · 11:00 AM–6:00 PM

Sunday, September 20

Haight Ashbury Street Fair

📍 Haight Street, Stanyan to Masonic, Haight-Ashbury · 11:00 AM–5:30 PM

More from the Neighborhood

Double Black Café Opens Inside Yardsale Flagship at 925 Cole Street

Cole Valley's newest gathering spot, Double Black, officially launched in July 2026 inside the 3,450-square-foot Yardsale outdoor-apparel flagship at 925 Cole Street, taking over the former Pharmaca space.

Magnolia Brewing Back at Haight & Masonic Under New Local Ownership

Magnolia Brewing reopened at 1398 Haight Street in December 2024 under new owners Kevin Kynoch and Brandon Phillips, following a brief closure during the ownership transition.

HANC Calls on Residents to Identify Historic Treasures in Residential Haight

Following the SF Planning Commission's June 2026 adoption of historic survey findings for the Haight Street and Cole Valley commercial corridors, the Haight Ashbury Neighborhood Council (HANC) is asking neighbors to help…