Merchants bemoan illegal street vending in San Francisco Chinatown

SAN FRANCISCO — Unauthorized street vendors have flourished in San Francisco’s Chinatown, selling everything from produce to live seafood, including baby sharks, leaving some local businesses frustrated.
The chairman of the Chinatown Merchant’s Association says that’s not fair to law-abiding business operators.
Edward Siu was born in Hong Kong, but he now proudly calls Chinatown his home. As chairman of the Chinatown Merchants United Association of San Francisco, he was alarmed when he saw unlicensed vendors setting up shop on the sidewalk.
“When it happens, the whole Chinatown is in big trouble on it,” Siu said.
He says the vendors are mostly elders trying to supplement their social security income but, he points out, it’s just not fair for legitimate merchants.
“They pay the rent, the insurance, license, tax, everything we have to pay for it,” he said. “Those vendors, they don’t need to pay for it.”
Siu first brought this issue up to the city in April and just reiterated his concerns at another meeting Wednesday night. He was hoping for solutions but left disappointed.
“We’re feeling really bad about that,” he said. “Most of the merchants think, ‘Hey, if they’re doing like this, that would be hurting our business.’ It’s really hurting our business.”
Siu would like to see the vendors cited. He’s concerned that this can turn into a major public health scare if people consume tainted or spoiled food.
The San Francisco Department of Public Health created a task force to crack down on non-permitted street vending in 2022. That task force conducts enforcement operations in Chinatown at least twice a week. It has also partnered with the Department of Fish and Wildlife to address concerns about raw seafood from San Francisco Bay.
In a statement, the Department of Public Health wrote: “The City and County of San Francisco is committed to ensuring the health and public safety of everyone. Part of that responsibility is ensuring that we enforce vending rules to protect public health and ensure our public spaces are safe and accessible.”
But, as long as these vendors are allowed to sell their goods, Siu worries that one bad incident will negatively impact the entire business district.
“If the health issue come up, don’t blame the Chinatown,” he said. “Blame the government. Blame the health department.”