Recent San Francisco Experiences

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yeah, I have no idea where these comments about street drug use and feces "everywhere" are coming from. The tone of the comments seem like they are coming from one person. They also seem like the nonsense "no go zones" statements that were coming out of Fox News last year about Paris and other European cities.

I know people who live there and others who visit periodically, and none of them have mentioned any of these issues. Could you find some awful things in a few places? Of course, just like any city (or even suburb or rural area!). But "everywhere"? That seems ridiculous.

Um, uh, they are coming from credible local news reports. And the mayor’s $12.8 million clean up the feces plan.

Apart from City gov, private sector is stepping in to deal with the doody:

http://www.sfhoardingcleanup.com/feces-cleanup.html

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yeah, I have no idea where these comments about street drug use and feces "everywhere" are coming from. The tone of the comments seem like they are coming from one person. They also seem like the nonsense "no go zones" statements that were coming out of Fox News last year about Paris and other European cities.

I know people who live there and others who visit periodically, and none of them have mentioned any of these issues. Could you find some awful things in a few places? Of course, just like any city (or even suburb or rural area!). But "everywhere"? That seems ridiculous.

They are having a huge uptick in hepatitis in California.

From feces on the street and needles.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, you know that there are kids who live in SF, and not just the poor kids who can't afford to live anywhere else. There are some really really wealthy folks who live there with kids. I'm sure they are just fine, and your kids would be too.

NP. Stick to the touristy areas and "cleaner" neighborhoods (like Pacific Heights and the Marina) and you'll be fine. Stay away from the Tenderloin, South of Market, patches of the Mission, and anywhere within a few blocks of the Civic Center.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, you know that there are kids who live in SF, and not just the poor kids who can't afford to live anywhere else. There are some really really wealthy folks who live there with kids. I'm sure they are just fine, and your kids would be too.

NP. Stick to the touristy areas and "cleaner" neighborhoods (like Pacific Heights and the Marina) and you'll be fine. Stay away from the Tenderloin, South of Market, patches of the Mission, and anywhere within a few blocks of the Civic Center.

I'll add that these have always been trouble zones, maybe more so now than when I lived there. I live in DC now and the intersection of 14th and Irving makes me think of 16th and Mission.

[Anonymous]

We were in SF last month visiting relatives (who live in an area that's not touristy or "clean", whatever that means), and saw nothing worse than expected. There's homelessness, but that's all over CA. And no, we didn't see feces. It was a great visit, and I wouldn't hesitate to go again.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Went a couple months ago. Many needles visible and I saw a person convulsing. It has become ickier than it was 15 years ago, I think. Just kind of creepy.

I think it's icky too.

I'm a liberal, live in Southern California, but just don't enjoy SF anymore when I go.
I wish I did.
There are gorgeous beautiful places in the Bay Area, go to those places.

If you DO go, you will be fine, just try to stay away from Union Square, market street. The more residential areas have way less homeless.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, you know that there are kids who live in SF, and not just the poor kids who can't afford to live anywhere else. There are some really really wealthy folks who live there with kids. I'm sure they are just fine, and your kids would be too.

NP. Stick to the touristy areas and "cleaner" neighborhoods (like Pacific Heights and the Marina) and you'll be fine. Stay away from the Tenderloin, South of Market, patches of the Mission, and anywhere within a few blocks of the Civic Center.

I LIVE in SoMa, and I go to Civic Center all the time. There are a few museums there, and one that does walking tours of the area to show all the cool things in the area. There's one tour guide who is known to locals because he will go a little off-tour and show all the graffiti done by local artists.

Oh, and I have a ninth grader (who obviously also lives in SoMa) and she goes all over the city by herself and with friends. If she's out with friends when it's dark, she asks me to send an Uber to bring her home. The part of SoMa to stay away from is 6th Street. Everything else is perfectly safe. And actually, I've walked down 6th on occasion and it's fine - it's just not ... pretty.

OP, someone shooting up is not dangerous. Seeing used needles is not dangerous. Seeing homeless people is not dangerous. Us locals will handle any homeless people who get dangerous near you - we know you're way too scared, and we may know the specific homeless person so know whether to yell at them, to talk, to physically move them out of your way.

Lastly, DD and I are a smidge above poor. She goes to public school. Many of her classmates live in big, fancy houses and they regularly travel out of the country for holidays.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, you know that there are kids who live in SF, and not just the poor kids who can't afford to live anywhere else. There are some really really wealthy folks who live there with kids. I'm sure they are just fine, and your kids would be too.

NP. Stick to the touristy areas and "cleaner" neighborhoods (like Pacific Heights and the Marina) and you'll be fine. Stay away from the Tenderloin, South of Market, patches of the Mission, and anywhere within a few blocks of the Civic Center.

I LIVE in SoMa, and I go to Civic Center all the time. There are a few museums there, and one that does walking tours of the area to show all the cool things in the area. There's one tour guide who is known to locals because he will go a little off-tour and show all the graffiti done by local artists.

Oh, and I have a ninth grader (who obviously also lives in SoMa) and she goes all over the city by herself and with friends. If she's out with friends when it's dark, she asks me to send an Uber to bring her home. The part of SoMa to stay away from is 6th Street. Everything else is perfectly safe. And actually, I've walked down 6th on occasion and it's fine - it's just not ... pretty.

OP, someone shooting up is not dangerous. Seeing used needles is not dangerous. Seeing homeless people is not dangerous. Us locals will handle any homeless people who get dangerous near you - we know you're way too scared, and we may know the specific homeless person so know whether to yell at them, to talk, to physically move them out of your way.

Lastly, DD and I are a smidge above poor. She goes to public school. Many of her classmates live in big, fancy houses and they regularly travel out of the country for holidays.

This doesn't sound like a nice way to spend vacation. Which is exactly why, on another thread, I advised the person to go to London.
I don't want to see anyone shoot up or have to rely on a "local" if someone gets "dangerous" near me.

[Anonymous]

My sister lives there. I had a great time for 2 days before Napa/Sonoma. The city itself is so well positioned you can't but think it's gorgeous. The homelessness and the drugs though? Idk. It was pretty horrific and ever present. I'm 1980's NYC raised and I found it next level.

[Anonymous]

I was surprised by the smoking. Not pot just regular cigarettes everywhere. I couldn’t walk down the street without smoke blowing in my face.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yeah, I have no idea where these comments about street drug use and feces "everywhere" are coming from. The tone of the comments seem like they are coming from one person. They also seem like the nonsense "no go zones" statements that were coming out of Fox News last year about Paris and other European cities.

I know people who live there and others who visit periodically, and none of them have mentioned any of these issues. Could you find some awful things in a few places? Of course, just like any city (or even suburb or rural area!). But "everywhere"? That seems ridiculous.

They are having a huge uptick in hepatitis in California.

From feces on the street and needles.

And when they had the hep outbreak in Honolulu last year, a friend told me people were cautioned about using public bathrooms (think: Starbucks) and touching communal food service items (again, think: Starbucks creamer, milk, etc.). Basically, be careful about touching anything an addict or homeless person might have touched. Friend works in public health btw.

The homeless and drug situation has reached a whole new level in SF. You can google news stories in the last six months that include photographic evidence. I haven't been to SF for a few years, but I began to notice the difference the last time I was there. But I work in homeless advocacy, so I admittedly notice such things.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My sister lives there. I had a great time for 2 days before Napa/Sonoma. The city itself is so well positioned you can't but think it's gorgeous. The homelessness and the drugs though? Idk. It was pretty horrific and ever present. I'm 1980's NYC raised and I found it next level.

This.

It is far worse than NYC ever was.

[Anonymous]

This is hilarious. Please all you pearl clutchers stay away. SF is not interested in your business anyhow.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is hilarious. Please all you pearl clutchers stay away. SF is not interested in your business anyhow.

I think the city realizes it has a problem, actually. There is a reasonable basis for concern. So no need for your shrieking.

[Anonymous]

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/Diseased-Streets-472430013.html%3famp=y

From February. Very sad.

This is worse than NYC in the 80s. And it's worse than LA's skid row.