|
|
|
|
|
 |
Dear Gavin -
My name is Steve, and I work near the corner of Market and 6th Streets for a publishing company. Currently, we are at the mid-way point of our ten year lease of this sixth story office building. Other tenants include SMWM (Architects), with Radio Shack and House of Blue Jeans on ground level.
Yesterday, I arranged to have Captain Denis O’Leary (SFPD/Southern Station) come speak at a town hall meeting, here at the office, to discuss the many concerns we have regarding this neighborhood. As you know, this particular section of the Central Market Street district, though only one block away from Bloomindale’s, is riddled with daily drug trade, crime - including murder, homelessness, vagrancy and the ever ubiquitous stench of urine (and will leave it at that). This again, much to my astonishment, is nearly a single block away from what I consider to be the "gateway" into this wonderful city of ours, the Powell Street cable car turnaround, and a major destination for a number of world-wide travelers and tourists.
Yet, over the last couple of weeks, the situation has accelerated with an assassination at the corner donut shop, another murder on Golden Gate Ave, near the theatre, a parolee (although caught) running loose and beating up four innocent bystanders, and a suicide - man jumped off the roof of a building behind our office building, witnessed by a number of employees out of our kitchen window last Thursday. And of course, the constant drug exchange that we witness daily coming into work each morning.
I have been forced to hire two retired officers from the San Francisco Special Police Patrol, at an annual cost of $45K, just to watch over our entrance door of the building, providing a limited amount of protection for our employees, against this neighborhood. Still, it is not enough.
I need your help. I need the help of the city. Late last year, the Board approved for this Central Market Street district a CBD initiative, and while I understand the time it takes to implement new policies and procedures, we need immediate attention focused on this particular section of Market Street between 5th and 6th.
I am personally a great supporter of yours. You have my vote looking ahead as you do with most of this office of 160 employees. We have great faith in that you care about our concerns.
Any chance that I can get you to attend our next office town hall meeting, along with Captain O’Leary tentatively scheduled for end of August/early September?
I was very encouraged by Captain O’Leary’s visit yesterday, and today we noticed two bicycle cops outside our office this morning. A great start. But I want action.
Please let me know if we can count of you to attend our next town hall meeting in about eight weeks of so. I certainly would work around your very busy schedule. Please, please consider this, and with a plan to discuss this neighborhood from your perspective and concern.
Gavin, thank you very much.
Steve
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
