Jenny Kiely and her sons Dylan, 7, Nick, 4 and Thomas, 1, stand outside their home on Natoma Street. After 18 years living in the South of Market, husband David says, "Enough is enough."
Posted on 10/09/2007 7:38:26 AM PDT by SmithL
San Francisco - the liberal, left-coast city conservatives love to mock - could be undergoing a transformation when it comes to homeless people. Although the city would still be a poor choice for a pep rally for the war in Iraq, indications are that residents have had it with aggressive panhandlers, street squatters and drug users.
"Maybe there has been an epiphany," says David Latterman, president of Fall Line Analytics, a local market research firm. "People have realized they can hate George Bush but still not want people crapping in their doorway."
Consider the case of David Kiely, who has lived in the South of Market area for 18 years. He bought a home when prices were low and now lives there with his wife, Jenny, and their three boys, ages 7, 4 and 1. Kiely insists "we're not some white, yuppie parents saying we can't take this." In fact, he says, they donate to programs for homeless people at Glide Memorial Methodist Church and the food bank at St. Anthony Dining Room. But he's finally saying "enough is enough."
"I don't expect it to be Cow Hollow or Pacific Heights," he says. "But the other day Jenny is bringing the kids back from the park, and some guy is standing on the corner throwing up on himself."
Trent Rhorer, executive director of San Francisco's Human Services Agency, is at ground zero for homelessness concerns. He's heard it from local residents at meetings, he's read the polls, and he noted the huge response to Chronicle columns about the homeless people and intravenous drug users in Golden Gate park. Like others, he thinks there's been a change in the way San Franciscans think the homelessness problem should be approached.
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
Jenny Kiely and her sons Dylan, 7, Nick, 4 and Thomas, 1, stand outside their home on Natoma Street. After 18 years living in the South of Market, husband David says, "Enough is enough."
What? Don’t San Franciscans realize that you can never get enough of a good thing?
Heartless liberals.
Yes, the high concentration of leftists is annoying - but they don't march in the streets every day.
My last trip to SF was in ‘95 - used to love to visit the city, beautiful place...but after my last visit, swore I would NEVER return..and haven’t...got a bit tired of activist gays spitting on me because I wouldn’t give them money...SCREW SAN FRANCISCO....it can slide into the ocean for all I care. As a matter of fact, I hope it does.
So, let’s suppose I’m about to become homeless (by choice or not, does not matter). To what city would it be in my best interests to relocate? I was thinking San Fran would certainly be on the list. Others might be Portland Oregon or maybe someplace warm like Miami.
Your motives are purer than those of your inferiors — goes without saying.
In Orlando, there are activists falling all over themselves to provide bums with as much fresh food as they can possibly eat - and the climate is as mild as Miami’s.
This photo reminds me of a panhandler I used to see in Las Vegas. His sign said something like, I won’t lie to you — I need money for beer. People used to give to this guy — they figured at least he was honest about his intentions...not that same old lie about using the money for food. The last couple of trips to Vegas, I didn’t see the guy anymore. I’m hoping he straightened out, but I’d guess he’s probably plying his trade somewhere else.
The next day I snapped this shot a block from Haight and Ashbury.
The stenchhippie was ambitious enough to make a spinning, battery operated mesmerizing sign, but too lazy to stand up to bum.
Do they still hand out cash to the street trash?
And they wonder why they have so many problems.
San Franciscans are anti-American troops and now anti-homeless? And I thought they could no longer surprise me.
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
If you’re going to San Francisco
Scott Mckenzie
If you’re going to San Francisco
Be sure to wear some flowers in your hair
If you’re going to San Francisco
You’re gonna meet some gentle people there
For those who come to San Francisco
Summertime will be a love-in there
In the streets of San Francisco
Gentle people with flowers in their hair
All across the nation such a strange vibration
People in motion
There’s a whole generation with a new explanation
People in motion people in motion
For those who come to San Francisco
Be sure to wear some flowers in your hair
If you come to San Francisco
Summertime will be a love-in there
If you come to San Francisco
Summertime will be a love-in there
Conservatives - this MUST NOT BE ALLOWED TO HAPPEN. Go to San Francisco NOW - give money to the homeless to make sure they won’t LEAVE!
When we moved to the bay area we specifically avoided SF as a choice of residence, primarily because it is a lousy city to raise kids in. For example, there are no parks within a reasonable walking distance of Natoma St. and the only 'park' in the area is more of a 'shooter's' park for the local druggies
It’s only changi in Chinatown.
I gave a street person $10 who had a sign that read “give to the United Negro Pizza Fund”
It made me laugh and my feeling was that when you laugh at the man’s sign you can’t pretend you didn’t see it. He was very polite and well spoken, too.
He probably takes down more per year than I do, come to think of it.
BINGO
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.