Dear Mayor,   While I agree with your new action plan to try and get homeless people off the streets, I thought I would send a few thoughts about this topic. There are some who honestly cannot help their situation, and those are the ones who would more likely be willing to take the alternative that they would be offered. Even a shelter is better than sleeping on a sidewalk or doorway.   There are various reasons why people end up on the streets, one of them being a personal choice. Most choose it so they don't have to pay rent or other bills, Read This Posty »

I think the mayor needs to focus his energies on resolving the horrible and out of control situation that San Franciscans are forced to deal with on their streets on a daily basis, the aggressive panhandling, the defecation and urination, and the filthy conditions of our streets and sidewalks. Other cities have resolved these problems and, until our streets and sidewalks are once again livable, these problems need to be his number one concern.  People are tired of hearing of excuses, we are tired of  being embarrassed when our friends and family come to visit and ask why we allow Read This Posty »

Dear Mayor Newsom, As a long-time resident of San Francisco, having grown up in this fair city I take great pride in being able to say I am from here, albeit not native as I moved here when I was six-years-old. Now, 31 years later, I'm glad to see my city back on track in terms of tourism. I've noticed many European tourists especially and was even told by an SFPD airport officer that foreign travel is back to pre-9/11.   The unfortunate thing, and the reason for my letter, is I am ashamed to see the condition of Powell Street between Read This Posty »

My pet peeve is that I sent an email regarding Powell Street from Union Sq. to Market and all the aggressive panhandling and the filth of the street to your office on August 29 and received no response. Not even an auto-reply saying you received the letter. Name Withheld Read This Posty »

Panhandlers.  They are out of control and found everywhere and are beginning to get much more aggressive.  Particularly the man that is always in front of Lee's Deli in on Fremont and Mission.  Can't anything be done to remove them from the streets? Name Withheld Read This Posty »

This may be something that we should consider here: INDONESIAN CITY TO FINE TOURISTS WHO GIVE TO BEGGARS The Indonesian city of Medan has drawn up legislation to slap large fines on tourists and others who give money to street beggars. The beggars themselves face up to six weeks in jail. The provincial capital of North Sumatra is a big drawing card for both tourists and beggars.But if the draft law is passed as expected, kind-hearted tourists who give a few rupiah to a young mother and baby begging on the overpass, or a young girl braving the traffic to knock on Read This Posty »

I just started taking BART and am disgusted with the homeless panhandling, musicians, and no staff in the booths for emergencies. Kick the former out of BART and fire the BART employees playing hookie. Still need to work on cleaning up the homeless on Powell/Market. It is sometimes scary to walk thru there to get to BART. What ever happened to the police kiosk? Congrats on the new Transit terminal. Don't make it so tall. No need for it to stick out like a sore thumb like the ugly condo project going up next to Read This Posty »

In my continuing frustration walking to and from the Powell Street MUNI/Bart Station to my place of work near Union Square, a friend let me know about this website.  Frankly, I am doubtful this will help, but will give it a try.  For me, and thousands of others who have to use this station to get to work, this becomes representative of what San Francisco is like to LIVE in.  Unfortunately, I do not have the good fortune of working around the Montgomery Station or Embarcadero.  Every day without fail, I am treated to what is like a human toilet Read This Posty »

When is someone going to do something about the human vermin that infests this city? It would appear in the downtown area that one cannot walk a block, without three or four homeless people sticking a cup in your face expecting you to throw cash at them. It is a disgrace that this situation is not being addressed. It would not be tolerated in any other city in the world.  If you make a perfectly safe, but illegal left turn onto Geary from Powell, you will find a motorcycle cop ready to pounce on you. Not a chance in hell Read This Posty »

It is far from solved. I work in the Financial District and every other corner has a homeless person or beggar.  This is ridiculous.  How can you promote business and tourism if there are homeless sleeping and begging in front of the former Pacific Stock Exchange.  I will not vote for you until you follow through.  Why don't you walk through the district any morning.  You'll see what I mean. Peter Semiraro Read This Posty »

A simple solution is to enforce the noise limit laws.  No one driving a car could get away with the noise that people riding motorcycles is allowed to get away with.  This isn't rocket science.  It is simply law enforcement.  While you are at it, enforce graffiti, panhandling, and bikes off the sidewalks. Name Withheld  Read This Posty »

You Gavin Newsome are my Pet Peeve.  You are running the city of San Francisco into the ground. The Home less situation is increasing, you are encouraging illegal immigration, as well as allowing th city of SF to give sanctuary to these immigrants. While waiting for a bus at fifth and market, on the northeast corner aswell as the southwest corner riders can't sit down or stand around by the bus stop because of all the alchoholics occuping the area. Get with the program and do something about this and many other situations, espically the panhandling that exist.  One can't go to a 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 work on the corner of Kearny and Market Sts. I don't need to tell any one that this general area is in great flux. The new Westfield Mall and the construction of the new Ritz-Carlton are starkly contrasted by the ever-growing number of homeless people on these few blocks. The homeless have been pushed out of the shopping area of Westfield, but have only moved down a block, concentrating their numbers right where I work. On a daily basis I see  public urination of defacation, passive and aggressive panhandling, and homeless people just camping out on Market St. I 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 thought there was a ordinance past several years ago which prohibited panhandling at intersections. I'd have to get a part-time job, if I gave to everyone who asked me for money on the streets. Can this ordinance be enforced? Name Withheld 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 »

In Order of Annoyance: 1. Trash EVERYWHERE 2. Potholes! 3. The state of the public schools in the City/ bussing kids all over the place 4. Graffiti 5. Homeless/panhandlling 6. The high cost/tax usage for "affordable housing" 7. Overhead power lines It seems there are plenty of things to focus on in here our own city, please leave national politics to guys in D.C. Thank you! TL Buchanan Read This Posty »

Last Friday night, I went downtown to see a play at A.C.T and before and after the show, I was constantly hassled by panhandlers. Literally one on every corner - from BART to the Geary theater, to the restaurant and back to BART. It was impossible for my date and I to even maintain a conversation; we were interrupted every 100 yards by someone else asking us for money. I struggle with the idea that panhandling is an inalienable right; somehow protected by pursuit of happiness. The laws against persistent panhandling aren't enough. Our entire evening was tainted by folks harrassing Read This Posty »