San Francisco Voters Say No to Times Square Billboards

San Francisco defeats one measure and supports another that limit billboards in the City

Status quo rules the day. The signy district of Mid-Market yore will remain just that, as voters Tuesday night beat Prop D by a sizeable 8.18 percent margin.

Fifty-four percent voted no on the measure to allow signage on buildings between 5th and 7th streets.

"We always thought it would be very close," said David Addington, the owner of the Warfield and a major Prop D booster.

Addington will now have to come up with a new way to remake the two slummy blocks in downtown San Francisco.

The measure had also received the support of Mayor San Francisco Gavin Newsom last week, who has been in hiding ever since he dropped out of the California governor's race Friday.

Proponents of the measure argued it would bring much needed money to San Francisco and spark a rebirth, of sorts, for the mid Market area, which is currently overrun with closed stores, strip clubs and novelty shops.

The vote was part of a larger trend in the City where San Franciscans said no to eye blight. Voters approved a measure that bans increaseed ads on street furniture (like Muni bus shelters) and City-owned buildings. It passed by a solid 57 percent.

The Associated Press and SF Curbed contributed to this story.

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