SF Castro District merchants protest in frustration of unhoused encampment

FROM ONE SAN FRANCISCO NEIGHBORHOOD GATHERED TODAY TO PROTEST AGAINST A GROUP OF ON HOUSE TO PEOPLE WHO REFUSE TO MOVE. KRISTEN: THIS TOOK PLACE IN THE CASTRO DISTRICT. PROTESTERS TOLD LEANNE MELENDEZ THEY HAVE BECOME INCREASINGLY FRUSTRATED WITH THE CITY'S INABILITY TO MOVE THEM OUT. SHE JOINS US NOW HERE ON MORE -- WITH MORE ON THE SITUATION. REPORTER: WHEN IT COMES TO NEIGHBORHOODS, THAT CASTRO IS NOT THE WORST NEIGHBORHOOD. BUT THE RESIDENTS AND MERCHANTS SHARE THE SAME KIND OF FRUSTRATION THAT MANY PEOPLE HAVE, THEY JUST DON'T FEEL HEARD. HE IS THE OWNER OF THE UPS STORE ON MARKET STREET. HE TOLD US HE NO LONGER WALKS ON THE SIDEWALK TO GET TO HIS OWN STORE. INSTEAD, HE J WALKS ACROSS MARKET STREET. >> IT SMELLS. THERE ARE THINGS THAT I SEE THAT I DON'T WANT TO SEE ANYMORE. YOU CAN'T UNSEE STUFF. REPORTER: TODAY HE ASKED OTHER MERCHANTS AND RESIDENTS OF THE DISTRICT TO JOIN HIM TO PROTEST THE ENCAMPMENT LOCATED NEAR THE CORNER OF MARKET AND CASTRO STREETS. >> I HAVE SEEN MATTRESSES OUT HERE. BARBECUE PITS OUT HERE. I HAVE SEEN A LOT OF THINGS THAT SHOULDN'T BE ON THE SIDEWALK. >> REALLY DEPRESSING TO SEEWHAT'S GOING ON . TEARING DOWN THE CITY. I LIVED ALMOST 30 YEARS. I'VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS. REPORTER: WE APPROACHED THE PEOPLE LIVING THERE. SHE IS KNOWN TO RESIDENTS AND HOMELESS ADVOCATES BECAUSE HE IS PART OF A LAWSUIT THAT HAS TEMPORARILY HALTED THE CITY FROM CONDUCTING SWEEPS OF HOMELESS ENCAMPMENTS, CLAIMING IT VIOLATES THEIR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS. WHAT DO YOU WANT? WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO SEEK? >> ULTIMATELY, THE BUILDING OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING. >> I SHARE THE FRUSTRATION OF MERCHANTS. THIS PARTICULAR INDIVIDUAL HAS BEEN OFFERED MANY DIFFERENT KINDS OF SHELTER, INCLUDING TINY HOMES. HE HAS OFTEN DECLINED AND LEFT PLACEMENTS HE'S BEEN GIVEN BECAUSE HE WOULD PREFER TO BE ON THE STREET. REPORTER: HE ADMITTED HE HAS BEEN OFFERED SHELTER AND EVEN LIVED FOR FOUR MONTHS IN A TEMPORARY SHELTER RUN BY THE CITY. WE ALSO FOUND OUT THAT DURING THE PANDEMIC, HE SUED THE CITY AFTER HIS BELONGINGS WERE TAKEN. HE SETTLED WITH THE CITY AND RECEIVED A $9,000. IN A STATEMENT, THAT HOMELESS ADVOCATE SAID THEY ARE VIOLATING THE LAW WHEN THEY ENFORCE ANTI-HOMELESS LAWS WITHOUT OFFERING SHELTER FIRST OR THROWING AWAY PEOPLE'S PROPERTY INSTEAD OF STORING IT. MERCHANTS LIKE HIM SAY, THEY FEEL LIKE NO ONE IS LISTENING TO THEM. SO YOU HAVE REACHED OUT TO THE CITY. >> SEVERAL TIMES. REPORTER: WHAT HAS BEEN THE RESPONSE? >> NOT REALLY ANYTHING POSITIVE. IT'S JUST BEEN, WE ARE WORKING ON IT, WE HOPE TO GET SOMETHING DONE. THAT KIND OF THING. BUT NOTHING ELSE. REPORTER: THE FEDERAL JUDGE WHO ORDERED THAT SWEEPS IN SAN FRANCISCO BE PUT ON HOLD DOES NOT LIVE IN THE CITY. SHE RESIDES IN THE EAST BAY CITY OF ALBANY WHERE HOMELESS CAMPS ARE ILLEGAL. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE HEAR ALL THE TIME. I FEEL SO FRUSTRATED, NOBODY'S LISTENING TO ME. THE CITY SAYS, WE ARE WORKING ON IT, NOTHING IS

Channel: ABC7 News Bay Area

Views: 165,155

Keywords: news, san francisco castro district, unhoused people san francisco, homeless encampment sf, san francisco castro merchants protest, encampment castro district, homelessness san francisco, affordable housing san francisco

Id: s2M68kDtYaQ

Length: 3min 30sec (210 seconds)

Published: Thu Jul 20 2023