The Tenderloin’s Awful Affordable Housing is killing San Francisco’s Poorest Residents
Wrote an op-Ed on what we can do to improve the tenderloin. Being born and raised in the neighborhood, I’ve been pretty frustrated with the minimal change I’ve seen in the 22 years I’ve been there. Unfortunately, with more people seeking for excuses to dehumanize the poor (see the responses of the many reactionaries to the recent state of emergency declaration), it seems like San Franciscans are on the wrong track.
He raises a good questions about why not. Seems it would be effective at reducing the open air drug use and make it safer for everyone.
https://www.sfexaminer.com/news/san-francisco-can-quickly-end-tenderloin-drug-dealing/
So I’ve always been fascinated by the history of the city, and the history of SRO hotels in regards to communal living and how that’s changed so much over the last 50 years. Are there any of those hotels that stand out the same way that, let’s say, the Cecil Hotel does in Los Angeles in terms of police calls and crime and just being known as a troubled property?
I don’t believe in all that hocus pocus crap that the docu-series were trying to push on Netflix.
Be me, circa 2007, living just south of the San Francisco bay. I worked for a small company that had holdings in the city and I would, occasionally, travel there for work. One of the places that I would be put up was in the Tenderloin.
If you’re unfamiliar with the bay area and, more specifically, the tenderloin, just know that this part of the city is the “wrong side of the tracks” within an increasingly upscale city. Lots of low scale crime, lots of panhandlers.
So, here’s the opportunity: you will never, never be asked for money if you’re busy singing Tom Waits at the top of your lungs while wandering down the street.
This is the perfect opportunity to practice your stylings in public. You could not have better Camouflage than to pull up your hoodie and practice “hang me in a bottle” at the top of your lungs.
And, also, where are you ever going to get a chance to do that? You want to practice your style? The tenderloin is your place.
I absolutely loved it.
