City Officially Recognizes “Veterans Alley” as Board of Supervisors Unanimously Approves Street Renaming

Today, the Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the renaming of Shannon Street, a mural-covered alley in the Tenderloin, to Veterans Alley. 

The commemorative street renaming celebrates and honors the murals painted by U.S. military veterans that have transformed the alleyway into an international tourist attraction and lively local destination for San Franciscans through artist workshops, block parties, and community events. Supervisor Dean Preston has been working alongside Veterans Alley co-founder, Amos Gregory, since the Tenderloin was redistricted into District 5 in 2022. 

“The Tenderloin is a neighborhood rich in arts and culture, and I am honored to celebrate the artists who are boldly sharing their stories about the true costs of war and the military experience by renaming this artists hub Veterans Alley,” said Supervisor Preston. 

“Veteran’s Alley was founded to give voice to a voiceless community. Today, thirteen years later, we have found our voice and have shown the community at large how to find their voices, too,” said Veteran’s Alley co-founder, Amos Gregory. “Today marks a milestone in the City’s commitment to ensuring that our will voices will continue to be heard.”

The San Francisco Veterans Mural Project was founded in 2011 by disabled U.S. military veterans, Navy veteran Amos Gregory and USMC veteran Gilbert Lovato. The alley consists of an entire block of public-facing walls where veterans paint their own stories of the realities of war and the military experience. Along with being a widely-visited art space, Veterans Alley also acts as a community center, where veterans and non-veterans, both housed and unhoused, visit to share their experiences and engage in community healing. 

With passage of the resolution, SFMTA is now authorized to install the new commemorative signs, and a community unveiling ceremony is expected to occur in the upcoming months.