Marijuana shops will be prohibited in San Francisco’s historic Chinatown following a long discussion and vote by the city’s Board of Supervisors on July 31, 2018. At the meeting, supervisors voted 8–3 to amend the city’s planning code to prohibit the dispensaries, whether recreational or medicinal, from setting up shop in the neighborhood.
Supervisor Aaron Peskin, whose district covers the densely populated area, introduced the legislation, citing concerns that the pot shops would drive up commercial rental prices, displacing longtime Chinese residents and Chinese-owned and operated businesses. Supervisors Jane Kim, Ahsha Safai, Sandra Lee Fewer, and Katy Tang are co-sponsors of the legislation.