_{Neighborhood News Recap Q1 2026}

_{Pack Walk is Back!}

The first Market Street Pack Walk of the season was a tail-wagging good time led by Grand Marshal and District 6 Supervisor Matt Dorsey, his husband and their pups Brando and Georgia. MMCBD Ambassadors escorted the Pack for the 6 block parade and staff from Janell's Happy Dogs offered all kinds of free advice along the way from training tips to the best collars and leashes. For more information check out this interview on LIVE! In the Bay, and read the SF Examiner's piece "How a monthly dog walk builds community on Market Street." The next walk is May 7th.

_{Mid Market Business News}

Now available in the Union Square and Yerba Buena area, the Downtown Business Fund, a new program designed to help businesses open and expand in downtown San Francisco. Support includes move-in grants, affordable capital, and expert support.


Izzy & Wooks garnered a strong following as a farmers market stand, but you can now find them at Saluhall. Among their popular dishes, some are said to be so good they'd bring adversaries to the same table. The Infatuation writes: "their fried chicken sandwich and longanisa smashburger—two dishes that could broker peace between sworn enemies."

If you're serious about pool and snooker, there's a new members-only spot for you: The Ballroom. Located at 1349 Mission St., they feature high-quality tables, host various tournaments, and are open for practice 24/7.



Two new spots to grab lunch at The Mart SF: Fusion Grain Express and Gno & Co. have opened (1355 Market St.). Fusion Grain Express features an American-Italian-Mexican fusion and Gno & Co. is gnocchi bar.

_{City News}

In addition to Mayor Lurie unveiling PermitSF, Assessor-Recorder Joaquín Torres unveiled a system for managing property assessments, records and transactions. Check out SMART for property-related questions, review requests, assessed value, previous filings and exemptions.




It's now easier to build housing in Mid Market with the City's Adaptive Reuse Program's new Downtown Revitalization and Economic Recovery Financing District - no transfer tax, no inclusionary housing requirements, no development fees, and cash rebates for 30 years.


It works! Keeping convenience stores closed between midnight and 5am has reduced late night crime on neighborhood sidewalks. City leaders recently extended the practice for an additional 18 months and added new areas to benefit, including parts of Mid Market and SOMA.


The City's Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing (HSH) and GLIDE expanded and reformed the Journey Home Program. Now operating under a single City-wide system open 24/7; GLIDE checks in with beneficiaries on the other end of their journey for the first 90 days making sure they remain connected to services and their support network.



_{Events & Programs}




A free, all-ages dance party is taking over Mint Plaza on the third Thursday of the month from 5-10pm. Featuring well-known DJs, it's a great way to kick-off the weekend; here's a quick video of what to expect.





The annual Bay to Breakers is back Sunday, May 17! Dance, sing, walk, jog or run your way through Mid Market and across the City in this race like no other. Dress up in costume, soak up the atmosphere and take in SF's iconic sights!






The SF PRIDE Parade returns to Market Street on June 28 at 10:30am! The festival in Civic Center Plaza spans Saturday and Sunday, June 27 and 28. Learn more here.




Visit 10 of the locations on our Coffee Map, share a snapshot of your purchase and tag us on Instagram and we'll send you a $100 Visa gift card. That's it!

We hope the caffeinated journey helps you discover new neighborhood spots to add to your daily routine.

_{How It's Done}

How to activate a public plaza: Non Plus Ultra (NPU) brings the crowds to the free Third Thursdays all-ages parties at Mint Plaza by partnering with well-known DJs, bringing out residents and introducing new audiences to the area.