SF Tenderloin residents, companies sue metropolis, claiming it is utilizing neighborhood as ‘containment zone’ for rampant unlawful drug use
Plaintiffs do not seek monetary damages, according to the complaint filed in federal court. Instead, they want officials to clear sidewalks of illegal drug dealers and fentanyl users, violent behavior and tent encampments and to treat the Tenderloin as it would any other neighborhood where crime is not tolerated.
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“They are at their wits end because the city has treated their neighborhood as a containment zone for narcotics activity in all the problems associated with that,” said Matthew Davis, attorney with Walkup, Melodia, Kelly & Schoenberger.
Davis represents the Tenderloin residents who want to remain anonymous.
In the complaint one of the plaintiffs is a mother of two who documented being threatened with knives and hammers outside her home.
“Every day at all hours people are dealing drugs and using drugs in front of their apartment building. There are encampments people are lighting up bonfires,” said Davis. “Their sidewalks are filthy with all types of problems from used syringes, human waste.”
The Phoenix and Best Western Hotel documented inaccessible sidewalks for guests and drug use throughout the area.
The Phoenix Hotel decided not to renew its lease next year.
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“Business is down so much because of the conditions around their hotel,” said Davis.
Randy Shaw Director of the Tenderloin Housing Clinic is hoping this lawsuit leads to change in the area.
“We hope we get our constitutional rights protected. Which has not been the case. The people should not treat the Tenderloin as if ‘you want to sell drugs you can do it in the Tenderloin but don’t do it in Cow Hollow,'” said Shaw.
In response to the lawsuit in a statement the city attorney’s office said in part:
“While we understand and share the frustration of Tenderloin businesses and residents, the City is making efforts to reduce crime, disrupt open-air drug markets, and address homelessness, all while complying with the preliminary injunction issued in the Coalition on Homelessness case.”
San Francisco Mayor London Breed said they are seeing improvements in the Tenderloin at U.N plaza in the daytime but it’s still an issue at night.
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“We have redirected resources not every night but in some instances we are able to direct resources and working with the drug enforcement agency and the U.S. attorney’s office they have been able to step in and be a significant source in addition to the California Highway Patrol,” said Mayor Breed.
We met Melvin Junior in the neighborhood. He has lived in the Tenderloin for 20 years and was glad to hear of the lawsuit. He doesn’t feel safe in the area anymore.
“It’s horrible now. Just yesterday somebody pulled a knife on me while I was walking home from work for no apparent reason at all,” said Junior.
These residents and businesses are not seeking any financial compensation from the city. David said they want the courts to intervene and help the Tenderloin.
The city has about a month to respond to the lawsuit.
The same lawyers on Thursday also filed a new motion on behalf of College of the Law, San Francisco, demanding that city officials reduce the number of tents in the Tenderloin, as they had pledged to do to settle a lawsuit over street conditions filed by the school in May 2020. The city initially showed “significant success,” the motion states, but has since lost ground.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.
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