New Residents... THIS IS THE MISSION!

Maybe new residents is what we need to fix this issue. It seems that some of us have become complacent and have lived in the Mission for too long when they use the excuse.."THIS IS THE MISSION". Homeless using the park for public drunkenness before 9am, passing out on the sidewalks before noon, illegal gambling, drug use, public urination/defecation...this is NOT how the park is to be used. This needs to change and it will take the community to make this happen, the city doesn't have the funds or manpower to fix this at this time. The 'new' residents and those that are tired of it need to take this park back and let those that defile it know they are not welcome if they continue their illegal behavior. But again, this is San Francisco and it seems that everyone wants to complain about something but nobody has the balls to take a stand to address it. Sad.

When did THE MISSION become a pseudonym for public bathroom? It is NEVER ok to urinate or drop a deuce in the street, not in Nob Hill, the Marina or THE MISSION. Garfield Park is a great resource that plenty of people utilize everyday of the week – and the vast majority is for legal use, in any community there has to be lines drawn about what is and is not socially acceptable for the community as a whole. Generally a good guideline for what I find acceptable would be ‘the law’… if you’re not breaking the law all is good, but there is a law there for a purpose to protect the vast majority of us who don’t want to see a slow a steady degradation of the physical and social fabric of the neighborhood that we live in. I’d reckon over 99% of people in the Mission don’t pee in the street, vomit against a tree – that is if they haven’t snapped it in two, pass out drunk at 7am or drop whatever they just finished using on the ground – so to say THIS IS THE MISSION is the biggest cop out and dodge of responsibility I can imagine, certain behavior isn’t and shouldn’t be accepted.

It’s a good job that these dice games don’t attract crime – well apart from that quadruple shooting in Baltimore over a dice game at the weekend. Well that was in a gang area – which the Mission is now entirely free from. So it’s all fun and games until someone gets shot or stabbed when they walk away from these friendly games with a roll of hundreds – seriously stand and watch the stakes in these games, I have – because they took the money off someone who couldn’t afford it and they get desperate. I don’t object to the dice games per se – it’s the amount of money that is at stake that is a far greater concern to me.

this is more than just hanging out in the park having a good time. this is NOT something that should be tolerated with the excuse "this is the MISSION".....urination, public drunkenness at 9am, passed out on the street before noon, these are not the things that a public park is for. As residents of "THE MISSION", our tax dollars pay for the upkeep of that park and this is not how I want to see it being used. Maybe it is the new residents that need to step up and take action to have this change. BJ, I think you have just become too compliant and have lived in the Mission for too long when you use that excuse.

@TJ
why cant I just post a comment. why do u need to challenge it. i am not moving from my position and neither are you. i posted my comment to see what kind of response.

its just that some people that move into poor neighborhoods...... take over without respecting their neighbors and cultural traditions.... ie the greening of the mission, an gourmet ghettos....

@BJ

What culture and tradition is being disrespected by wanting there to be streets clean of trash, urine and crap and have parks that are free from drunks and illegal gambling? What would make you think poor people and Latinos (I take it that is the cultural tradition you refer to) want to live in filth and squalor?

I can't think of anything being MORE respectful of neighbors than keeping the neighborhood clean of trash. Trash and sanitation shouldn't be social/racial/cultural stratification's - rich neighborhoods have clean streets and poor neighborhoods don't - what a load of bunk.

Maybe people need to be challenged - on forums, in city hall to get the community to wake up and smell the garbage/urine/crap.

Is Garfield Square better than it was 5 years ago? Do tree lined streets look more visually appealing? Is it better when the spiders web of utility cabling is below ground - these things do not represent attacks on any cultural or socio-economic group - it's just good positive change from what I can see.

BJ and TJ

I'm new to the Mission, just moving to the Mission last year, but I have lived in SF since 1986. The Mission is hugely multicultural, so it is sloppy to describe as monolithic "THE MISSION".

My next door neighbors are:

Five 20-something white bicycle hipsters sharing a house, don't know them yet.

A poor really nice El Salvadorian lady, lived there 20 years with her dogs.

A group of really nice very religious middle eastern Muslim guys.

A large really nice Chinese extended family, they don't speak much English.

A friendly American-Italian guy who has lived here his whole life.

And, of course the homeless guy with the shopping cart that sleeps nearby about once a week. (don' t know his story).

Garfield Square is a popular park, and I totally respect the cultures and values in the Mission. I have no problem that the day laborers hang out there to socialize, it is a public park!

That said, I simply disagree that peeing in the street is a cultural value for the Mission. I disagree that the police would not respond to complaints about nuisance in the park, I bet they would. Though, I doubt they would care much about day laborers socializing in the park, neither should they care.

Gambling still going strong. After Sunday Streets, two large groups of men (mostly Latino, but some Caucasian) rolling the dice, and handing over cash to "pit boss" with large wads of cash. Even better is that the little kids playing soccer seem to be emulating the men and playing for change! :( Folks seem to love the games so much that they can't bear to go home to use the toilet, so use Balmy alley on the northern end of the park.

Calls to the non-emergency police get sympathetic hearings, but not much urgency on the part of the SFPD is shown. But, they need more people to call to bump the priority, and perhaps send some plain-clothes officers so the money doesn't "disappear" when they roll by.

Large groups of teenagers too hanging out at this alley Balmy between 25th and 24th, cops need to be alert about this alleys on the mission. alot of drugs dealers,drunk people,teenagers too. Older people buy them drinks from any corner store froms 24th and mission all the way to 24th and potrero.

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