Pause On New Massage Businesses Citywide

Correction: While writing this piece, we mistakenly used the term “massage parlor” as a catch-all term for massage businesses. We have been informed that is incorrect and the term primarily refers to unlicensed establishments. We have corrected the issue and regret the error.

Seeking Connections To High School Sports

If you, or someone you know, has connections to the sports programs at local high schools—Hayward High, Tennyson High, and Mt. Eden High—we’d love to chat with you! One of the areas that the Hayward Herald is looking to grow is to include local sports coverage, specifically of our local high school teams.

However, having been a high school athlete myself, I know it can be difficult to attend these kinds of games. Right now we don’t have anyone on our team that can provide that kind of coverage for our community. But if you have any kind of connection—even just to the scores after every game—we’d love to share it with Hayward!

If you don’t have a student athlete at one of our local public high schools, did you know they recently celebrated Senior Nights? Varsity sports were celebrating their seniors in cheer, volleyball, tennis, and football—maybe other ones I didn’t see.

So if you, or someone you know, can connect with the Herald and provide scores for things like soccer, football, and basketball, we’d love to share it with everyone in the City. And if you can provide photographs? Bonus points. Any kind of coverage for how the game went? Extra super bonus points.

City To Temporarily Halt New Massage Businesses

At the November 3rd Council Economic Development Committee Meeting, City Staff recommended temporarily halting all permits for new massage businesses throughout the City. Citing a proliferation of illegal establishments and an increase in complaints of illicit activity, the City Council will consider stopping all new massage businesses until at least Spring of next year.

Background On Massage Establishments

According to the Staff Presentation, massage businesses are only allowed in select commercial districts throughout the City. According to City Staff, massage businesses are allowed by-right in the Downtown core due to the Downtown Specific Plan. However, upon review, the word “massage” does not appear anywhere in the document, nor in the 2040 General Plan.

According to Municipal Code, massage establishments are allowed with a Conditional Use Permit—which requires approval by the Planning Commission—to operate in different Commercial districts throughout the City. As a second check, all massage establishments are subject to the Massage Permit Ordinance, which requires filling out an application with the Hayward Police Department (HPD) that includes over 20 different pieces of information.

But because they are allowed by-right in the Downtown area, seven new massage establishments have opened since 2020, bringing the total number of permitted establishments up to 17. Though there are also at least five unpermitted massage businesses on top of that.

The Problem

The five unpermitted establishments would be bad enough. They continue because it appears that they are under the purview of Code Enforcement which is famously overworked and understaffed. Not having a permit could also allow unlicensed Massage Therapists to operate—the ordinance requires a current, valid certificate from the California Massage Therapy Council to operate a massage business—or, in the worst case, be a front for illicit activity.

Beyond that, ten of the permitted locations have had complaints of illicit activity. The presentation did not elaborate on what the alleged activity is or whether any of the complaints had been substantiated. However, it did point out that investigating the complaints falls to the HPD Vice division, which only has two staff: one Detective and one Sargent.

Asking For A Brief Pause

In an effort to deal with these issues, City Staff is requesting a pause on permitting and applications for any new massage businesses throughout the City. This will give City Staff time to make changes to both the Zoning Ordinance and the Massage Permit Ordinance.

For the zoning, they are considering a Conditional Use Permit for all massage businesses where they are allowed and barring them from other locations throughout the City. This will close the alleged loophole allowing them to open by-right in the Downtown area. For context, Downtown officially extends from Hazel Avenue to E Street, Jackson, and Grand, which is much larger than is typically considered. And a brief Google Maps search brings up at least 10 massage businesses within that area.

On the Massage Permit end of things, Staff are considering adding more requirements to operate, more ways to revoke or suspend a permit, and requiring a new CUP for any ownership change. This last point would put it in the same position as cannabis businesses.

Rather than make these changes on their own, taking up a lot of time for both Staff and the City Council, the changes will likely be rolled into the Business Friendly Hayward package of ordinance changes in Spring of 2026.

How It Can Happen

Councilmember Andrews asked about the massage business on Hayward Boulevard—which appears to no longer be in business—and whether or not it was a permitted massage business. Development Services Director Sara Buizer explained that it was unpermitted. “That was never approved,” she said. “They came in as a… hair salon, beauty place… and then it’s always operated as something it’s not supposed to be.”

Councilmember Andrews asked if something similar has happened in other parts of the City. “Yes,” Director Buizer said, “That is some of the challenge.” Councilmember Andrews then asked if there would be issues with a national chain like Massage Envy wanting to open a new location in Hayward. Staff explained that it would be fine, but the 6-8 month long hold would still be in effect.

Senior Planner Blanton pointed out that allowing massage businesses by-right in Downtown was kind of a mistake. “It was kind of an odd loophole,” she said. She explained that, during the commercial assessment the City commissioned, the consulting team noticed that there were a lot of massage businesses Downtown. This was also a reason for putting a hold on new ones, “let alone any illicit activity,” she said.

Councilmember Andrews asked if the number of complaints felt high to the Police Department. Detective Gabriel Wright said that it seemed high given the number of massage businesses, but admitted that they would need to look at the data to make sure. She pointed out that there are many more tobacco and alcohol establishments, so it’s difficult to tell by comparison.

Landlord Responsibility

Hayward Mayor Mark Salinas leapt directly to laying responsibility on landlords. “They’re going to have to go through a landlord, right?” he said. “Unless they own the building.” He continued, “How do we prevent the landlord from doing this? From allowing a retailer that is not doing what they’re supposed to be doing?” A lawyer for the City said that they could look into mechanisms of enforcement, but by their tone seemed unsure of the viability.

“The property owner is agreeing to the business,” Mayor Sailnas said. “They’re giving them the green light.” Director Buizer pointed out that landlords are likely not concerned with what the business is, so long as they’re paying their rent. “They’re paying rent,” she said. “The landlord’s not going to likely ask… they’re likely just caring that the rent is getting paid.”

However, Mayor Salinas did not appear to be want to let landlords off the hook. “The property owners… some of these guys… they don’t care,” he said.