It has been reported that Mayor Newsom recently ridiculed former New York City Mayor Rudy Guiliani's advise on solving the homeless problem.  Given the increasing numbers of homeless people in San Francisco despite the hundreds of millions being spent by the city, our mayor is in no position to ridicule the advise of a former mayor who brought the homeless problem under control in his city by providing shelter space to all NYC's homeless and not allowing them to sleep on the streets. Why Mayor Newsom has not followed this plan is a mystery.   Instead, our mayor devised a 10-year homeless Read This Posty »

Mr. Newsom, You need to be much more proactive in preventing crime and homeless solicitations in SOMA, the Tendorloin & Market Street. Numerous visitors & friends of mine have commented on how "ugly & nasty the problem is" specifically in high traffic tourist areas. I lived in NYC when Mayor Guiliani was in office and he cleaned all of Manhattan up with a strengthened police force, you definitely need to do the same from 6th street to 2nd Street, Market to Brannan. This starts with simply having a police presence and the rest will take care of itself. ~Thanks, Jonathan Goodman Read This Posty »

I'm sick and tired of walking home from BART to my Nob Hill apartment thought the filth and dirt of this city. I spent two months in NY City this summer and was amazed at how clean it was compared to SF. I plan on moving  as I am tired of nothing being done about this problem. Sincerely, Mary Read This Posty »

Just because you are homeless does not give you the right to break the law buying and selling drugs on the street, doing drugs in front of families and children and especially tourists and lastly to clog our city subways, doorsteps and business entryways as sleeping quarters, panhandling spots and freak show theaters. If this were New York or any other sensible city, the police, and general public would be outraged and would ask them to leave the premises sending them to a shelter or get tougher and tell them to get out of the city. Some homeless are truly in Read This Posty »

That SF doe snot have OTB's (Off Track Betting) parlors like New York City, Portland and elsewhere.  It's bad enough to  spend the time to get down to  Bay Meadows but they close next year and going to Golden Gate Fields is a pain. David Hynes Read This Posty »

Cab drivers (with truck drivers) used to be THE BEST drivers on the road. Tonight, between the Market Street Safeway and my home, different Yellow Cab drivers made 2 illegal U-turns and ran 3 Stop signs!  Seriously, I am talking about five (5!) different cabs with different drivers!  And I cannot begin to tell you how many F-U's I get after I have to slam on the brakes because I'm in their way!  I have many friends visiting from Manhattan or New Jersey who are completely appalled. I am also a frequent traveler, and I have stopped using any type of cab Read This Posty »

Sorry to come across sounding brash, but are you absolutely NUTS?! One of the very first things I noticed out here 4 YEARS AGO when I moved here from NY, was the apparent lack of trash cans and pay phones (on every corner back east). I realize most people now use cell phones, but to even suggest that removing some of the trash cans is the way to clean up the city...is purely and completely INSANE! People throw trash on the ground because they cannot FIND a can within 4 blocks usually. As for Muni...less stops isn't the answer, as Read This Posty »

As a driver, I have noticed that SF pedestrians very often will walk or run out into the middle of the street, right into the flow of traffic, usually without even looking! I see this at least 3 times every morning, usually 5. I know pedestrians have the right of way, but these people seem to have lost their sense of self-preservation. As a NYC transplant, I grew up with a healthy fear of being hit by a three ton chunk of metal traveling at 40 mph, so I look both ways before crossing, especially when jaywalking! No driver deliberately Read This Posty »

Dear Mayor Newsom: Two things I believe to be important for the city: First, it seems San Francisco is getting filthier.  I am embarrassed by the detritis littering our streets.  I can't imagine the impression the many tourists in SF take back to their homes.  Both Chicago and New York are much cleaner than SF.  Chinatown is especially horrific.  There is a terrible stench on some of the streets, there is trash and filth everywhere and there are clothes hanging from balconies, which is especially unsightly and completely unnecessary.  Cigarette butts line every block and not just in Chinatown.  It would not Read This Posty »

In the Union Square area in particular, one of the top two tourist areas in the city, one can't walk half  a block without being approached/harassed by vagrants looking for spare change. On Powell St  this past Tuesday I counted 23 of them between Market St. and the St. Francis Hotel.  It is a disgrace and is at epidemic proportions. The filth they leave in their wake is appalling. I am a democrat and voted for you.  I think you are doing a pretty good job and you seem like a decent guy. Next time out, I am voting for Read This Posty »

I have written to you and the supervisors about the taxi issue, but nothing has changed. The taxi system in San Francisco is the missing link.  I take public transportation most of the time, but because getting a taxi to come when you need one is totally unreliable, I bought a car.  (Read on) It will do no good to have more cabs. The issue is that cabdrivers here are considered "independent contractors" and the cab companies just send out a call. The drivers may, or may not, pick you up.  The cab companies can't tell you when, or even if, Read This Posty »

Dear Mayor Newsom, I voted for you last time and I have to honestly say I'm on the fence this time.  I acknowledge the progress you've made in many big areas, but what irks me is the seeming stagnation of the day-to-day progress of basic city services -- and the one that gives me the most agita is of course, MUNI.  Mayor Newsom, how is it that in 3 1/2 years MUNI, from this daily rider's perspective - is not one iota improved?  I'm not talking Muni Metro - I'm talking about the crowded, broken down buses.  I'm talking about the Read This Posty »

I am a San Francisco native. My husband and I subscribe to the Best of Broadway series. Being night workers, we usually do matinees; however, our tickets for "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf" (Golden Gate Theatre) were for 8 PM. We usually have a pre-show beer at Original Joe's. I have NEVER in my life seen so many theatre-goers actually scurry in fear from the teeming masses of homeless camped all over the sidewalks and even in the street...my husband and I never scurry--like I said, I was born here and I am not afraid to "cross the gauntlet" as Read This Posty »

I am a native San Franciscan.  I love this city.  I find it aggravating that we focus so much on making things more interesting or appealing to tourists and ignore doing the same for natives.  Personally I think it's ridiculous that we are in effect this small provincial city that wants to think of itself as on par with New York, but try to find anything open after 10:00 and good luck.  Unless you want to mire yourself in the way too-LA scene like Union Square or other tourist haunt.  There has got to be a way to encourage a Read This Posty »

My letter to Supervisor Dufty (as yet unacknowledged) February 19, 2007 Mr. Dufty: After 8 years in this once beautiful city, my partner and I are beginning the search for a home in Marin and leaving the once beloved Castro. Please tell Chris Daly, Aaron Peskin, Jake McGoldrick and the rest of the fractionalized self-centered Board of Supervisors that they win and SF is theirs.   From the big annoyances like Critical Mass and NO ONES ability or balls to stand up to the arrogant bicycle coalition to the growing homeless camp on 16th Street, across from our once beautiful little street (Pond), to Read This Posty »

I have lived in SF for over ten years now, and I have grow sick of the homeless and their effect on my city.  From panhandling to peeing on my door step.  I often travel to both London and NYC  -- both cities have done a much much better job of dealing with the homeless population. Brett Atha Read This Posty »

* Tourism is our biggest business and we need to be sure this city is clean and compared to NY it is filthy.  Homeless continues to be a problem and the garbage in the streets.  Awful. * The Castro which used to be a vital neighborhood is looking more and more like a ghost town.  Greedy landlords need to get with a program of letting in tenants who will revitalize the neighborhood into a destination again. * Disaster preparedness - are we???  Thanks - KR Read This Posty »

Mr. Newsom, Sir, I live in the Tenderloin. Do I really have to explain the problems down here to you? We ask for more of a police presence and nothing happens. The killings over the weekend points up the fact that nothing is being done to curb crime down here. I remember Diane Feinstein saying she was going to "clean up the Tenderloin" when she was mayor. We are still waiting. I wrote Willie Brown when he was mayor. We are still waiting. How is it Rudy Giuliani can clean up New York, but San Francisco can't or won't do Read This Posty »

I have lived in SF for 4 years now and have seen NOTHING that leads me to believe these specific problems are getting any better. SF prides itself as being liberal and kind-hearted. Does this mean simply IGNORING an absolutely psychotic and threatening individual on the street to intimidate others? I see the SAME 2 dozen or so mentally ill people downtown where I work on a daily basis and it just doesn't seem like anyone really CARES!! It does them NO GOOD to simply shower and shave them then throw