HomeUploadUpload DirectHotlinkRandomAbouttheme toggle
Expand

Activists vs. One Man’s Skee-Ball Arcade: How Red Tape Is Ruining San Francisco

Views:903
@ReasonVids

Joey Mucha wanted to convert his warehouse into a restaurant, bar, and arcade. Then community activists intervened.
------------------
Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/ReasonTV?subconfirmation=1
Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Reason.Magazine/
Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/reason
Subscribe to our podcast at Apple Podcasts: https://goo.gl/az3a7a

Reason is the planet's leading source of news, politics, and culture from a libertarian perspective. Go to reason.com for a point of view you won't get from legacy media and old left-right opinion magazines.

----------------
Joey Mucha is a three-time Skee-Ball national champion and the owner of Joey the Cat, an arcade rental, repair, and events company that he started in 2010 from his one-bedroom apartment in San Francisco.

After winning some prize money, Mucha was able to purchase his own fleet of Skee-Ball machines and other arcade games. In 2014, he purchased a former car repair shop and turned it a private event space and a place for fixing broken arcade games.

In April of 2019, he decided to convert his space into a restaurant, bar, and arcade. His property was already zoned for this use, but despite following all applicable codes and regulations, Mucha still had to argue his case at a public Planning Commission hearing in November. His project was jeopardized by a process known as discretionary review, in which any member of the public, in exchange for a $600 fee, can ask San Francisco's Planning Commission to hold a hearing to review building permits.

So far in 2019, the commission has publicly heard 91 requests for discretionary review. Since every building permit in the city is subject to this process, it can add significantly to the construction costs.

"Commissioners are empowered to reject most any permit, regardless of whether it satisfies the underlying zoning code," wrote Reason's Christian Britschgi in a piece about Mucha's fight.

While Mucha did end up getting permission to move forward with his renovations, the story of how the project was nearly stopped, and what Mucha endured in order to prevail, underscores how even the most benign land-use changes in San Francisco can be hampered by red tape.

Produced by John Osterhoudt. Additional camera by James Marsh and Zach Weissmueller.

Music Credit: Sadstorm by MADGOHAPPY

Fiona Ma Photo Credit: Randy Pench/ZUMA Press/Newscom

libertarian
,
reason magazine
,
reason.com
,
reason.tv
,
reasontv
,
nimby
,
san francisco
,
housing
,
arcade
,
skee-ball
,
john osterhoudt
,
joey the cat
    Thumbnail for What's The Correct Libertarian Position on Abortion? A Soho Forum Debate1:27:12
    What's The Correct Libertarian Position on Abortion? A Soho Forum Debate
    ReasonVids
    760 views
    Thumbnail for What's the difference between socially liberal conservatives and real libertarians?2:52
    What's the difference between socially liberal conservatives and real libertarians?
    ReasonVids
    803 views
    Thumbnail for Stossel: Does Silicon Valley manipulate users?5:18
    Stossel: Does Silicon Valley manipulate users?
    ReasonVids
    961 views
    Thumbnail for Race mixing isn't as common as media shows in films and commercials1:09
    Race mixing isn't as common as media shows in films and commercials
    bestofupgoat
    477 views
    Thumbnail for Locatelli: The Harmonic Labyrinth - First Movement | Chloe Chua - Classical Violinist5:57
    Locatelli: The Harmonic Labyrinth - First Movement | Chloe Chua - Classical Violinist
    invidious
    431 views
    Thumbnail for They say Crows are extremely intelligent birds0:27
    They say Crows are extremely intelligent birds
    AOUisgay
    544 views
    Thumbnail for Police Posing as Punks Bust Rockers: Don't Cops Have Better Things to Do?!1:54
    Police Posing as Punks Bust Rockers: Don't Cops Have Better Things to Do?!
    ReasonVids
    1036 views
    Thumbnail for Origins of the (((STAR OF DAVID)))5:22
    Origins of the (((STAR OF DAVID)))
    bestofupgoat
    415 views
    Thumbnail for Oi kunt! You will never be as limey as this 0:26
    Oi kunt! You will never be as limey as this
    bestofupgoat
    413 views
    Thumbnail for We are being shoved backwards by jews and those jews control so that they can live like kings and we all are their slaves.1:00
    We are being shoved backwards by jews and those jews control so that they can live like kings and we all are their slaves.
    AOUisgay
    444 views
    Thumbnail for Throwback R&B Classics - Usher, Chris Brown, Mariah Carey, Ne Yo, Beyoncé, Alicia Keys | RnB Music Club1:00
    Throwback R&B Classics - Usher, Chris Brown, Mariah Carey, Ne Yo, Beyoncé, Alicia Keys | RnB Music Club
    invidious
    333 views
    Thumbnail for Translating...0:59
    Translating...
    bestofupgoat
    507 views
    Thumbnail for Trayvon Martin, George Zimmerman & The Decline of Racism & Violence in America2:01
    Trayvon Martin, George Zimmerman & The Decline of Racism & Violence in America
    ReasonVids
    848 views
    Thumbnail for The Hood keeping the repo from taking a car | Champion Taylor1:00
    The Hood keeping the repo from taking a car | Champion Taylor
    invidious
    156 views
    Thumbnail for DEA Seized Life Savings From Hard-Working Grandfather, Never Charged Him With a Crime4:30
    DEA Seized Life Savings From Hard-Working Grandfather, Never Charged Him With a Crime
    IJvids
    859 views
    Thumbnail for WTF did Buzz just say?0:54
    WTF did Buzz just say?
    bestofupgoat
    474 views
    Thumbnail for Preparing for Trial (Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Animation)[Paula Peroff] | Mornal1:05
    Preparing for Trial (Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Animation)[Paula Peroff] | Mornal
    invidious
    396 views
    Thumbnail for jews Believe it is their Destiny to be Slave Masters1:47
    jews Believe it is their Destiny to be Slave Masters
    allAheadFull
    657 views
    Thumbnail for No matter which country they invade, they all speak like this0:31
    No matter which country they invade, they all speak like this
    bestofupgoat
    88 views
    Thumbnail for Kennedy on Whitney Houston, Adele, &...Michelle Obama?2:59
    Kennedy on Whitney Houston, Adele, &...Michelle Obama?
    ReasonVids
    904 views
    Thumbnail for Make America White Again9:55
    Make America White Again
    AOU
    1251 views
    Thumbnail for 3 times the lethal dose of Fentanyl + several other drugs0:14
    3 times the lethal dose of Fentanyl + several other drugs
    AOU
    1542 views
    Thumbnail for Dying Earth for DCC is the most classically weird fantasy setting you’ll never play | RPG Review27:02
    Dying Earth for DCC is the most classically weird fantasy setting you’ll never play | RPG Review
    invidious
    116 views
    Thumbnail for this old guy is my spirit animal0:57
    this old guy is my spirit animal
    bestofupgoat
    453 views
    Thumbnail for Santa Monica Evicts Airbnb: The War on Homesharing6:27
    Santa Monica Evicts Airbnb: The War on Homesharing
    ReasonVids
    889 views

points

Permalink
Reply
libertarian
,
reason magazine
,
reason.com
,
reason.tv
,
reasontv
,
nimby
,
san francisco
,
housing
,
arcade
,
skee-ball
,
john osterhoudt
,
joey the cat
TOS  •  Add Keywords  •  Donate  •   Analytics  •   DMCA  •   Puzzle