Drug dealing, defecation: SF street causing 'chaos' for homeowners

NARROW ONE-WAY STREET IN SAN FRANCISCO IS CAUSING PROBLEMS. YEARS OF COMPLAINTS OVER DRUG DEALING, PUBLIC DEFECATION AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE ARE FALLING ON DEAF EARS. THE TROUBLE SPOT IS WILLOW STREET. WE HIT THE STREETS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, AND HERE IS WHAT CITY LEADERS ARE SING OUR HURDLES. -- SAYING OUR HURDLES. REPORTER: IT IS HARD TO BELIEVE THAT DRIVING THROUGH VENICE AND WILLOW STREET'S WE ARE BLOCKEDS -- BLOCKS AWAY FROM CITY HALL. >> IT IS FRUSTRATING THAT WE HAVE TO WITNESS THIS CHAOS EVERY SINGLE DAY. ZACH: TENT AFTER TENT, OPEN DRUG DEALING, DRUG USE AND A WHOLE HOST OF OTHER SAFETY ISSUES. >> A MAN THROWING KNIVES IN FRONT OF OUR DOOR. REPORTER: ARE WHAT RESIDENTS OF ONE CONDO COMPLEX SAY THEY HAVE BEEN DEALING FOR YEARS, DESPITE REPORTING RIGHT -- REPORTING REGULARLY. >> MY NEIGHBORS HAVE BEEN DOING SO. AFTER WE HOSTED MANY SHOPS, THEY NEVER GOT BACK TO US. THEY JUST CLOSED THE TICKET, WITHOUT DOING ANYTHING. >> I DO FEEL HELPLESS. REPORTER: AN EMPLOYEE OF A RESTAURANT AT VENICE SHOWED US THE BARS INSTALLED AT THE FRONT DOORS AFTER PROBLEMS. >> I CALL THE POLICE EVERY SINGLE DAY. IT NEVER CHANGES. REPORTER: I REACHED OUT TO THE DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, TO ASK WHAT WAS BEING DONE WITH WILLOW STREET. THE CITY'S ATTORNEY'S OFFICE SENT A STATEMENT SAYING THERE'S ONLY SO MUCH THEY CAN DO, CITING A PRELIMINARY INDUCTION ORDER FROM THE DISTRICT COURT, PROHIBITING LAWS ON SITTING OR LYING ON PUBLIC PROPERTY, AGAINST INVOLUNTARY HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS. THEY CAN OFFER SERVICES TO THE ON HOUSE. AS LONG AS THE HOMELESS ARE NOT OBSTRUCTING THE RIGHT-OF-WAY THEY CAN REMAIN IN PLACE. WHICH IS WHY AFTER WE WITNESSED A STREET CLEANING EFFORT ON FRIDAY MORNING. >> AFTER TWO HOURS EVERYONE COMES BACK AGAIN REPORTER: RESIDENTS HAVE BEEN REACHING OUT TO THEIR SUPERVISOR WHO SENT TO BE THIS STATEMENT, SAYING, HE IS LOBBING FOR COMEDIC -- LOBBYING FOR COMMUNITY AMBASSADORS AND DEMANDING THAT THE MAYOR FIX THINGS FAST. AS FOR JAY, WHEN SHE BOUGHT HER CONDO, ON THE SURROUNDINGS LOOK LIKE THIS SHE AND HER FAMILY HAVE BEEN TRYING TO LEAVE. >> 2022 WE TRIED TO SELL OUR UNIT, BUT WE CANNOT SELL IT. REPORTER: THEY SAY CHANGE NEEDS TO HAPPEN SOON NOT ONLY FOR THE FAMILY BUT FOR THE CITY AS A WHOLE. >> IT USED TO BE A POPULAR PLACE FOR PEOPLE WHO WANT TO LIVE IN THE CITY, IN THIS BEAUTIFUL

Channel: ABC7 News Bay Area

Views: 426,430

Keywords: news, abc, abcnews, newsstory, san francisco homeless, sf drugs, sf open air drug market, sf van ness willow street, sf public defecation, sf poop on streets, san francisco dirty streets, sf drug arrests, sf homeless, sf tenderloin

Id: PMGJ71xiaek

Length: 2min 53sec (173 seconds)

Published: Fri Jun 23 2023