The Bay Area Soiled/Homeless/Infested/Trashed Containment Thread (San Diego: install, retired)

[bmw335xi]

Originally Posted by blameyourself

I believe we were talking about Westfield



Yep, but all the blame must be on shrinkage (even though that's been debunked)

There are still many thriving malls in the country, what you are failing to understand or maybe you are just trying to be stubborn is that Westfield along with Union Square the area it's in is dying because foot traffic both indoors and outdoors is in major decline and that is primarily because the over-reaction of covid, not enforcing criminal acts, enabling rampant drug addiction and homelessness which created an environment that is no longer safe or pedestrian friendly. Not enforcing the law is also hurting many businesses in the area on top of it. This idea of burying your head in the sand and comparing the decline of a mall in bumf*** nowhere West Virginia to the heart and soul of Downtown San Francisco as see no difference, it has nothing to do with local politics or increased crime or open air drug markets, etc is why unlike most cities that have seen a resurgance, SF is still in decline.

[blameyourself]

Originally Posted by bmw335xi

There are still many thriving malls in the country, what you are failing to understand or maybe you are just trying to be stubborn is that Westfield along with Union Square the area it's in is dying because foot traffic both indoors and outdoors is in major decline and that is primarily because the over-reaction of covid, not enforcing criminal acts, enabling rampant drug addiction and homelessness which created an environment that is no longer safe or pedestrian friendly. Not enforcing the law is also hurting many businesses in the area on top of it. This idea of burying your head in the sand and comparing the decline of a mall in bumf*** nowhere West Virginia to the heart and soul of Downtown San Francisco as see no difference, it has nothing to do with local politics or increased crime or open air drug markets, etc is why unlike most cities that have seen a resurgance, SF is still in decline.

Not being stubborn at all. You were talking about Westfield and I gave you an appropriate reply. The mall was never that busy from the start and with the amount of malls that have closed in this country, I'm not surprised in the least. I worked half a block away from the mall so I think I have a pretty good idea of what I'm talking about. Then you pivoted and started talking about Union square which wasn't part of the conversation.

We have less than 1/3 of the malls in this country that we had 40 years ago and as mentioned, the prediction is we will be down to 150 within the next 10 years. Malls are a dying breed and have been for quite some time. And it has little to do with shrinkage, which as mentioned, has been debunked (It's hovered at roughly 1.4% for the last decade).

There's certainly a new dynamic that was established during the pandemic of work from home and there's also e-commerce to eat away at any profit margins that malls can mustard.

Clearly downtown San Francisco is going through a transition and I never debated that one bit. It'll take time but there's no doubt in my mind that the city will recover.

I lived in the SF Bay Area for 50 years and not once was I ever attacked by a homeless person, let alone had one act aggressively toward me and neither have any of my friends. So no, I don't go for a lot of the hyperbole that I see preached on the internet.

I had a friend's daughter choose San Francisco as her graduation present right before the pandemic and I worked out a deal for her with some of my connections at the Four Seasons between 3rd and 4th and Market Street. They chose to take Bart from the airport and I told them that was a good idea as San Francisco is a pretty good walking city and there was no need for a rental. My speil to them on what to expect was probably a couple of homeless people sleeping in the corridors at the Powell Street station and that they might even have a urine smell as they were going up the escalator. Once in the Four Seasons they would be in the lap of luxury but as they exit the building each day prepare to see a homeless person maybe every 500 ft. within a four block radius of the building, but not to be too concerned about it. They said my description was fine, they weren't the least bit shocked, and had a great trip. With that said, I don't doubt that anyone that hasn't been prepped on what to expect will be clutching their pearls and running for the hills, which I find rather laughable and a bit over dramatic. There have been homeless people in the area in question for years. And I doubt that's going to change anytime soon (It has little to do with the pandemic). If that generates a lot of hyperbole and sensationalism, so be it.

And for what it's worth I was in the area roughly 6 months ago.

[nowhereman427]

Originally Posted by blameyourself

Not being stubborn at all. You were talking about Westfield and I gave you an appropriate reply. The mall was never that busy from the start and with the amount of malls that have closed in this country, I'm not surprised in the least. I worked half a block away from the mall so I think I have a pretty good idea of what I'm talking about. Then you pivoted and started talking about Union square which wasn't part of the conversation.

We have less than 1/3 of the malls in this country that we had 40 years ago and as mentioned, the prediction is we will be down to 150 within the next 10 years. Malls are a dying breed and have been for quite some time. And it has little to do with shrinkage, which as mentioned, has been debunked (It's hovered at roughly 1.4% for the last decade).

There's certainly a new dynamic that was established during the pandemic of work from home and there's also e-commerce to eat away at any profit margins that malls can mustard.

Clearly downtown San Francisco is going through a transition and I never debated that one bit. It'll take time but there's no doubt in my mind that the city will recover.

I remember old downtown SF when it wasn't as run down as now. Still not the greatest in the early 70's but you could walk in the area and still shop there safely with alot more businesses/stores like Woolworth, Kress and Emporium with Christmas on the top level. The crazy homeless people didn't exist and weren't present like today. Did not have to worry about stepping on feces or needles on the sidewalk.

Now some 30 years ago in the Delta towns the city of Pittsburg had a rundown downtown with drug sales and crime galore with a very corrupt police department. Now it's prime property with thriving business in that area with new homes in the Marina. If SF could do a transition even close to that it would be a miracle.

[blameyourself]

Originally Posted by nowhereman427

I remember old downtown SF when it wasn't as run down as now. Still not the greatest in the early 70's but you could walk in the area and still shop there safely with alot more businesses/stores like Woolworth, Kress and Emporium with Christmas on the top level. The crazy homeless people didn't exist and weren't present like today. Did not have to worry about stepping on feces or needles on the sidewalk.

Now some 30 years ago in the Delta towns the city of Pittsburg had a rundown downtown with drug sales and crime galore with a very corrupt police department. Now it's prime property with thriving business in that area with new homes in the Marina. If SF could do a transition even close to that it would be a miracle.

Eh, I didn't feel the least bit unsafe just a short few years ago when I was working in the area and even on my recent trip. Obviously I have a different perspective than the narrative being pushed.

Ain't no crazies chasing me or attacking me and there never have been in that area. But I'm sure there must be a YouTube video out there somewhere preaching this stuff.

[nowhereman427]

Originally Posted by blameyourself

Eh, I didn't feel the least bit unsafe just a short few years ago when I was working in the area and even on my recent trip. Obviously I have a different perspective than the narrative being pushed.

Ain't no crazies chasing me or attacking me and there never have been in that area. But I'm sure there must be a YouTube video out there somewhere preaching this stuff.

The Un Plaza near Civic Center BART is horrid now

[blameyourself]

Originally Posted by nowhereman427

The Un Plaza near Civic Center BART is horrid now

I don't hang out that far up. 6th and Market up to there has always been a problem, but there's also not much shopping up there.

[nowhereman427]

Originally Posted by blameyourself

I don't hang out that far up. 6th and Market up to there has always been a problem, but there's also not much shopping up there.

Nope unless you want to hang and eat at McDonalds or Jack in the box with the homeless.

[bmw335xi]

Anyone without a bias would see downtown SF has turned to s***, even the mayor has acknowledged it and thinks it might never return to what it used to be pre-covid. Now if you want to believe it was never busy. whether the mall or Union Square, that's your choice, but I would either assume you are choosing to be blind or moved to SF post-covid and simply don't know what it used to be like.

[blameyourself]

Originally Posted by bmw335xi

Anyone without a bias would see downtown SF has turned to s***, even the mayor has acknowledged it and thinks it might never return to what it used to be pre-covid. Now if you want to believe it was never busy. whether the mall or Union Square, that's your choice, but I would either assume you are choosing to be blind or moved to SF post-covid and simply don't know what it used to be like.

Uh no, not choosing to be blind (as many times as you want to get into your personal attack). I did not move to SF Post covid. I already said I lived there for 50 years and worked in that very area for over a decade so yeah, my perspective is different than someone that comes in from out of town and visits from the mid-west or somewhere else that has no clue what it's been like for the length of time I lived there. As stated, there have always been homeless in that area. The notion that they are attacking people and being aggressive though is completely overblown despite some clown finding a video of it happening (which would be more of an outlier). And yes, I'm tired of the narrative of these retailers blaming shrinkage when they know that it's a small part of their problem at only 1.4% on average and one of the top official of Walgreens had to backpedal when he blamed it for them closing down stores when it was later discovered he exaggerated. And of course, looking at the history of most of the posters continuously posting this stuff, most are self proclaimed Conservatives and have started or participated in multiple threads on the topic (go figure)

I also said "Clearly downtown San Francisco is going through a transition and I never debated that one bit. It'll take time but there's no doubt in my mind that the city will recover."

Somehow you seem to have missed that and are content to continue to argue. I'm not interested. Not everyone is going to share your opinion. I'm sorry if you can't accept the fact that these issues are not unique to San Francisco.

https://www.businessinsider.com/amer...w-many-2022-10

https://www.cnn.com/2023/01/18/busin...ens/index.html

https://www.sfchronicle.com/sf/artic...f-17697063.php

And I don't think the Mayor even came close to saying what you claim....

https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/artic...e-18103067.php

[Igor Blevin]

All you can hope is that having had such an experiences, she has the intelligence and awareness to change her voting habits, which install the politicians who are the cause of this.

Shopper treatened by homeless when just passing him on the street.

https://twitter.com/CitizenFreePres/...95650488414208