Supervisor Matt Dorsey plans to introduce legislation to expand the curfew on Tenderloin corner stores to SoMa. His argument for the strategy\u2019s effectiveness is bolstered by a new study from Italian criminology researchers who found that the Tenderloin curfew reduced drug-related crime by 56% in its first nine months.<\/p>\n
Since August 2024, the city has ordered certain stores<\/a> within a 20-block area to close by midnight or face steep fines. Researchers from the University of Sassari analyzed San Francisco Police Department data from the first nine months of the curfew in a study (opens in new tab)<\/a> published Nov. 15 in the peer-reviewed Security Journal. The preliminary findings: Drug crime in the area is down more than 50%, without significant impacts on surrounding neighborhoods.<\/p>\n Dorsey plans to introduce legislation establishing a similar program in District 6, which includes the Sixth Street drug market<\/a>. His staff met with merchants this month to solicit feedback.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cIn a way, we are punishing businesses for things that are the city\u2019s fault, the city\u2019s responsibility,\u201d Dorsey said. \u201cBut I do think this is something that will help.\u201d<\/p>\n While he\u2019s not yet ready to share details or a map of the affected area, Dorsey said he will propose an 18-month pilot program that would apply the curfew to convenience stores but not to bars or restaurants.<\/p>\n Mirko Nazzari, a political science postdoc at the Sardinian university, said he was inspired to study San Francisco after attending the American Society of Criminology\u2019s annual conference in the city.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThe United States really provides detail and open-access data on crime,\u201d Nazzari said. \u201cThis is not so common in Europe. So if you come to Italy, we cannot really analyze policies on this level.\u201d<\/p>\n Nazzari said he was aware of the Tenderloin \u2014 notorious for its homelessness and drug crises \u2014 before traveling to San Francisco.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThe Tenderloin has its own history,\u201d he said. \u201cThere are systemic dynamics at play that, most times, are addressed with visible, short-term interventions.\u201d<\/p>\n The curfew program, designed as a two-year pilot, is one such intervention. And while it doesn\u2019t get to the root of the neighborhood\u2019s ills, it does appear to have lessened the late-night drug use and dealing that occurred outside of delis and smoke shops.<\/p>\n Some Tenderloin store owners say they have seen a drop in sales<\/a> since the curfew took effect. Neighborhood Business Alliance executive Miriam Zouzounis described the curfew at the time as \u201ccollective punishment.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThey just moved to other areas,\u201d Zouzounis said Monday of drug dealers and their customers.<\/p>\n