[diffset]

The homeless and those issues pretty much only exist in the tourist areas near downtown, the tenderloin, soma, etc. The tourists come and see all of that and get the idea SF is some horrible dystopia, but unless you live in those areas, it's not a problem. I lived in Noe Valley for 3 years and never ran into a single problem from your list. SF is so much more than downtown.

[scottm01]

As long as we're giving personal anecdotes, I lived in the mission (the "good side" near dolores park) for 8 years and experienced most of that list. I was physically assaulted last fall while walking back from Noe Valley at 2pm in the afternoon. Nobody answered the police non emergency number while I followed the assailant (who threw a right hook that I only partially dodged as he walked past me on the street).

Sure, you get better at dodging feces and ignoring the drug use, littering, and theft, but let's not pretend it's confined to "downtown, the tenderloin, soma, etc".

I've lived and worked in Manhattan and DC, and spent time in many international cities. I've walked all over all of them, and never felt less safe than I regularly did walking to work in soma.

SF has a unique political situation, a climate that makes homelessness "bearable" and a huge number of absentee landlords (thanks, Prop 13).

We were sad to move out in January. SF is a gorgeous city filled with kind, interesting people. "Horrible dystopia" is certainly an exaggeration, but the situation is bad and has gotten much worse in the past few years.

[r3trohack3r]

I lived in San Jose for two years. Commuted to Los Gatos.

880 had cardboard cities up and down it; my morning walk for coffee had 3-4 “regulars” living along it with frequent homeless transients.

Many neighborhoods full of Multi-million dollar properties that looked, and felt, like unmaintained slums.

The societal decay of SF extends through the entire Bay Area; certainly extends outside of its “tourist” centers.

[LurkingPenguin]

There are homeless encampments and tents on streets in the Marina district now, so these issues aren't isolated to "tourist areas".

Yes, some parts of the city definitely have it worse than others, but I don't think it's fair to dismiss these issues on the basis that there are small residential enclaves that are less affected.

If you want to enjoy SF's restaurant scene, nightlife, hiking, etc., you will inevitably have to go to areas where this crime is rampant. And this crime should not be happening in an American city, let alone one that is so rich.

[pjlegato]

The "bad / dangerous" part of the city is now significantly larger than it was even three years ago, when you moved here. It's been expanding rapidly the past few years.

[dilyevsky]

I saw a homeless dude yelling some crap in the middle of international terminal of SFO just today.

[themanmaran]

Noe Valley resident as well. But you have to realize that Noe is very segregated from the rest of the city.

Mainly it's the hills. Hard to be homeless and hike up the castro hill. Same with why Bernal is so clean.

But anywhere in Mission or along Market gets pretty sketch.

[muh_gradle]

The dysfunction is definitely not isolated to just certain neighborhoods in SF. It goes beyond the tenderloin now.

[Aspos]

Can confirm. In general, unless you actually step into them, human feces are not a problem. Just watch your step and be alert. How difficult can it be?

[thatswrong0]

Your bar is so low it's on the ground - watch your step.

[Aspos]

Right! Don't like feces, don't step into them. Don't like Tenderloin, just don't go there. Easy, right? Right?

[refurb]

This is like some bizarre regression in civilization.

2000 years ago humans realized people shitting in random places was bad and needed to be solved. And it was.

And now we have people saying human shit on the sidewalks is “not a problem”.

[rcurry]

You should submit this to the next license plate slogan contest. “San Francisco - Don’t like needles, just watch your step!”

[anonymoushn]

I hope your big tech company workplace is also located in Noe Valley