We’ve selected a representative sample of submitted testimonials by people who have signed our petition for your review.
This has gone past the breaking point of the sympathy and empathy stemming from the pandemic. Enough is enough already. This is so unhealthy and unsanitary for all of us who call this city our HOME.
-Citizen, SOMA October 30, 2023
Please keep our city safe. For residents, businesses, visitors. We love SF, hope we can see our city change to be better soon!
-Small business owner, Hayes Valley August 10, 2023
We need accountability & radical improvements. This rampant occupation of sidewalks by tents & garbage/needles left behind can’t continue on without any control or enforcement. It’s feels like complete chaos & lawlessness when I walk down Octavia. I also don’t feel safe.
-Citizen, Hayes Valley August 2, 2023
I’ve seen several homeless camping in front of residential buildings without masks and screaming. This is making the COVID situation worse.
-Citizen, Hayes Valley February 26, 2021
Thank you for your efforts to establish Hayes Valley as a tent-free zone. Both sides of the intersection at Franklin and Fulton, a half block from the apartment I’ve occupied for the past 24 years, are now completely blocked by tent encampments that seemingly grow by the day. There is the usual attendant very public drug usage and dealing, trash, human and animal waste, violent behavior, noise and complete disregard for community residents that characterize such encampments throughout the city. I have repeatedly reported these conditions to 311.org and there has been absolutely no attempt to ameliorate the situation. Many of my neighbors have advised me that they no longer feel safe in the neighborhood they’ve called home for years or decades. We should seriously consider filing a lawsuit against the city of San Francisco, since this is the only activity that appears to compel officials to take action, as they have recently in the face of a similar suit filed by Hastings and residents and business in the Tenderloin. Enough is enough!
-Citizen, Hayes Valley August 19, 2020
I want our streets back, for people to receive the proper care they deserve and drug dealers off our streets!
-Citizen, Nob Hill August 17 2020
Tent Free SF! My daughter had a homeless man spit his mouthful of beverage directly in her face, as she jogged by him, during Covid19 .
-Citizen, Duboce Triangle August 16, 2020
Thank you for this amazing effort. Your work is appreciated by all my neighbors on my street. We have all signed this petition. We need long term solutions. Hope government hears us.
-Citizen, Hayes Valley August 16, 2020
This homeless issue is killing San Francisco. You can’t have people just making tents in the middle of the sidewalk. This is why conferences are leaving. So much lost revenue.
-Citizen, Tenderloin August 15, 2020
Transient enabling in this city has got to STOP. We are giving the right wing ammunition to point at us on a national level to state that progressive policies are failing and dangerous. In this case, they’re right. This issue never gets better here, only worse. And I speak from witnessing it for over 25 years. Get rid of these tents and ensure it doesn’t happen again. Period.
-Citizen, Western Addition August 15, 2020
I feel very sorry for homeless people and I am aware of the problem. But we, citizens who are taxpayers are in a position that homeless people have more rights and are abusing us and our living situation daily. This city must take action to protect its citizens and taxpayers.
-Citizen, Hayes Valley August 14, 2020
The tents on Octavia were creating a big problem for those on my block of Lily at Octavia. The area became toxic with drugs, folks shooting up, urinate smell all around, drug pushers, stolen bikes causing all of us around not to feel safe at all. Every morning I’d walk out of my house I smelled urine and garbage strewn on the block. We had a swarm of rodents around our house and block. Many of the folks I saw in tents were young and it didn’t appear that they were seeking help though City resources which arrived every week to offer assistance, options, guidance and to clean. The tents and inhabitants remained. I think people have to be held accountable for their actions and they also have to be pushed along…we all do in some way or another. It’s also not fair for others in the neighborhood to deal with lawlessness, tents, rodents, smell of urine, drug addicts and so forth to take over their neighborhood to a point where you fear where you live or it becomes unbearable. The City has resources, but I understand it can’t help everyone. It’s a sensitive issue, but rules, laws, civility and standards need to be supported and enforced for neighborhoods to have quality of life and feel safe. My neighbors on my block all felt the same way as I did…unsafe. Now that the tents are gone the tranquility is back. It’s like day and night.
-Citizen, Hayes Valley August 14, 2020
Thank you for your advocacy. The success on Octavia Blvd. is important and worth continued advocacy for our neighbors and businesses. I ask that you please include Fulton Street near the NW corner of Franklin in your advocacy. We have had a 6-12 tent encampment since March. I have called the police about my concerns, litter, trash, blocking the sidewalk, street, and parking meters. I am frustrated and I do not know where to turn so this issue can be monitored before it becomes a serious problem.
-Citizen, Hayes Valley August 10, 2020
Proud of you all! Thank you for fighting for a clean, safe, thriving San Francisco. You really are making a tremendous difference in the community.
-Citizen, Pac Heights August 11, 2020
Looking forward to a collaborative solution that’s prioritizes residents’ safety as well as the well being of the homeless population. Happy to lend a hand to clean up the neighborhood.
-Citizen, Hayes Valley August 8, 2020
VERY similar situation in the Castro and Noe Corridor. We need compassionate solutions now!
-Citizen, Castro August 7, 2020
Allowing people to live in tents and defecate and urinate in the streets is a public health hazard and is inhumane. No more tents!
-Citizen, Hayes Valley August 6, 2020
Hayes Valley is scary and filled with trash. I live in the Tenderloin, and Hayes valley was my go to neighborhood. It’s gotten really funky since Covid. Good luck, all!
-Citizen, Tenderloin August 1, 2020
I would just like for the homeless people to have a safe place to go that is not blocking our sidewalks, so I don’t have to feel unsafe walking in traffic in the street, but homeless still have somewhere safe to go. I have lived in this neighborhood for almost 20 years, and it has never been a problem until now, so I’m not sure what has changed.
-Citizen, Hayes Valley July 31, 2020
I’ve lived in Hayes valley for 6 years, own my condo and I no longer feel like this is a safe neighborhood. Ive had multiple things stolen, needles outside my home, property of my actual home damaged, feces on my sidewalk. Ive reported all these to the police and 311, nothing is ever done about it. I called the police just last night about a break in, car damage, fence torn down, etc. police came out and got his name and he was let go with his shopping cart to keep going. Whats the point of the police if nothing is ever done?
-Citizen, Hayes Valley July 27, 2020
I avoid Hayes Valley and take my $$$$ elsewhere. It’s filthy and I don’t feel safe. Please have compassion for the businesses and residents of Hayes Valley and make the neighborhood clean and safe again!
-Citizen, Duboce Triangle July 24, 2020
The situation is a total abdication of law and order responsibilities of government and simply and utterly unacceptable. I am happy to support and get this righted any way I am able.
-Citizen, Hayes Valley July 23, 2020
I live on Oak Street right by Octavia. I no longer feel safe leaving my home at night to walk my dog due to the overwhelming amount of tents that block the sidewalk and the inhabitants wandering around. I know most are probably not dangerous, but I refuse to take that risk and be out alone at night. It didn’t used to feel like this is Hayes Valley. Please help us regain a feeling of safety.
-Citizen, Hayes Valley July 23, 2020
Strongly support this movement. Hayes Valley has been taken over by tents and filth. Residents do not feel safe walking on sidewalks and families are moving out after repeat burglaries along octavia street. We see drugs being sold out of tents, we also see stolen goods (TVs, iPads, ebikes, expensive items) being brought to tents every night. One neighbor had to go retrieve items stolen from her apartment from one of the tents! How is any of this acceptable? This neighborhood is being destroyed by the inaction of Dean Preston and we had enough!
-Citizen, Hayes Valley July 23, 2020
As a resident of district 5, I am fed up with the cities response to homelessness, tent encampments, tolerance of vandalism and crime, and public drug use.
-Citizen, Duboce Triangle, July 23, 2020
The voice of law-abiding, tax-paying residents and local businesses should be heard. Our own safety and security is at stake. The situation has deteriorated to a point that this doesn’t seem a first-world city any longer.
-Citizen, Hayes Valley July 22, 2020
Thanks for starting this initiative. The letter and petition the neighborhood association put out was far too tepid and the plan for a safe sleeping site (potentially near Hayes St business corridor?) was not vetted among neighbors and businesses! My husband and I will support Tent Free Zone however we can. Don’t let the
-Citizen and Business Owner, Hayes Valley July 22, 2020
Let’s make all residential areas in San Francisco tent free zones! I agree with all you are doing. Thanks for advocating for your neighbors.
-Citizen, Duboce Triangle July 22, 2020
Our City has failed to keep our streets safe and clean. It is time we stand up against the poor quality of life issues that are ruining our great City before we all move away reminiscing about what it once was.
-Citizen, Duboce Triangle July 22, 2020
This needs to happen. Hayes Valley is being ruined!
-Citizen, Hayes Valley July 22, 2020
We’ve been residents for 20+ years and are very concerned about the recent decline in safety and uptick in crime. The encampments are hurting this neighborhood and need to be removed ASAP.
-Citizen, Hayes Valley July 22, 2020
My husband and I avoid streets day and night we once enjoyed on our evening walks with our dog. Now we bring a flashlight, we avoid dark places, and we’ve been followed and yelled at occasionally. Most of the time homeless keep to themselves but the garbage, human excrement, drug needles, and broken glass are almost unavoidable. If it’s dangerous for our dog, we can only imagine what it’s like for people with small children. Please do something about this. Furthermore the car break ins and other theft is out of control.
-Citizen, Hayes Valley July 22, 2020
We need more mental health hospitals. We need more housing. We also need to let the police do their job.
-Citizen, Hayes Valley July 22, 2020
I agree wholeheartedly with this petition. I live with the tent city…the crime…the needles…the trash…the urine and feces…on a daily basis and it makes me sick to my stomach. Not only is the city of San Francisco allowing this to continue, but this also means San Francisco is doing nothing to help and assist the individuals residing in the tent city. This is shameful and abhorrent…San Francisco is better than this.
-Citizen, Hayes Valley July 22, 2020