San Francisco's Wake Up Call to Local Liquor Stores

San Francisco’s new ordinance gives communities more control over liquor stores that create problems for neighborhoods

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors recently approved a measure that means liquor store owners can no longer ignore gambling, loitering, and even illegal drug sales that occur outside their stores. The move puts San Francisco on a small but growing list of communities that are passing laws that hold liquor stores responsible if they create problems for neighborhood residents. The law will require alcohol retailers to address nuisance and crime issues, such as litter, loitering, and graffiti, assault, and prostitution, connected to the outlet. The penalty for businesses that don't comply: fines of up to $1000 or, as a last resort, revoked operating permits. The so-called "deemed-approved" ordinance is a result of several years of effort by community groups including San Francisco Community Action Live (SFCAL) and Youth Leadership Institute.

Supervisor Sophie Maxwell, who sponsored the legislation, noted that some liquor stores in her district were focal points of illegal activity. "There are repeated bad actors that inflict themselves on poor communities for years," she said. "They are serving the needs of drug dealers and those who are committing crimes and homicides¹." Several studies confirm the connection between the number of alcohol outlets in a neighborhood and increased nuisance and crime. Additionally, some stores put profits at the expense of public health by engaging in behavior-such as illegal sales to underage or intoxicated patrons--that increases revenue but harms the community. "Merchants don't check IDs because they could make a quick buck," said Dasha Bamaka, a youth activist in San Francisco. "They don't realize the impact they are having on the community²."

Most liquor stores owners see the issue a different way and believe that their responsibility ends where public property begins. It comes as no surprise, therefore, that many San Francisco merchants and liquor stores owners felt unjustly targeted by the ordinance. "The legislation requires us to go outside our stores and deal with issues…that have nothing to do with our businesses. We should not be required to do what the police should be doing," said Jimmy Shamieh, a local deli owner³. Other San Francisco residents and business owners, such as Michael Scales, applauded the Supervisors' decision. "Our business owners should be good neighbors and care about the health and well being of this community," he said.

¹Supervisors Approve Liquor Legislation. BeyondChron. www.beyondchron.org February 2, 2006.

^2,3Law widens liquor stores responsibilities. San Francisco Examiner. March 8, 2006