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.
MORE: “Celebrating at the Little Free Library“
Readers Respond
- Margaret H.December 28, 1969
Wonderful piece. I remember when the jazz clubs on Fillmore stayed open past two — this brought it all back. Thank you for keeping the memory of the neighborhood alive.
- David K.December 23, 1969
We've lived on Pine near Steiner for thirty-one years and it still surprises us how much this paper notices. Please keep going.
- Yuki T.December 15, 1969
A small correction — the mochi shop on Post opened in 1982, not 1985. My grandfather was there for the ribbon cutting. Love the coverage otherwise.
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