Little library on Pine Street sparks permit reform

By EMILY JOHNSON
Hoodline

Sometimes the smallest acts of rebellion spark the biggest changes. When Susan and Joe Meyers faced a $1,400 fine for their beloved Little Free Library on Pine Street — a community treasure that had been sharing books for over a decade — they could have quietly paid up and moved on. Instead, they dug in their heels and helped reshape how San Francisco thinks about neighborhood beautification.

Now, under the revitalized “Love Our Neighborhoods” permit program, residents across the city can install benches, murals and book-sharing boxes without navigating the bureaucratic maze that once threatened to turn community spirit into municipal citations. It’s a remarkable turnaround that shows how citizen advocacy can actually work — even in a city famous for its red tape.

The Meyers saga reads like a perfect San Francisco story: well-meaning residents, bureaucratic overreach, and a happy ending that required community organizing.

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