Comment by lmeyerov | Hacker News Reader

Comment by lmeyerov | Hacker News Reader

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I've lived in the same spot in the mission for 10+ years (and been around longer), and other folks in the building for 20+: the mission hasn't regressed to the gang wars era (we have stories there...), but between the break-ins, homeless tents, poop & drugs, crazy people shouting at 4am, and occasional shootings, the neighborhood has slid back 10-15 years. Luckily I've only witnessed 1 murder, so the crime is merely 'costly and disruptive' vs 'life threatening', but that doesn't mean it's acceptable.

I lived in Seattle as well & visit frequently -- around when capital+pill hill gentrified again around MS downtown employees (games studios?): the current Amazon-era of the city is closer to SF 5-10 years ago vs today's slide back. It's not all good, to be clear: I'm guessing buying a place just got steadily harder as well, and families pushed further out.

> Luckily I've only witnessed 1 murder

Stockholm syndrome is real here.

I spent a decade in St. Louis, MO, famously rated "Most Dangerous City in America" multiple years running and witnessed 0 murders. How many murders would you need to witness before you start to worry about your own safety?

Yep :)

Unfortunately, guns is a US problem, not a SF one. Within that, most violence is between people who know each other, so that's a funny one to work through. We moved our Oakland office to SF not long after watching a drive-by shooting of a downtown subway bus stop during a product strategy meeting: avoiding being the collateral damage is the tricky calculation here.

I am indeed moving out, but due to the city failing at its homeless programs + the historic property crime levels. (Parking a car shouldn't be a game of chance where you factor in the chance of theft & broken windows into the meter cost!) Simply going outside is annoying at this point, while there are amazing areas all around the bay area where that's still a joy.

I think it's worth noting that while it was definitely statistically less safe in the gang wars era, it was also less obvious. You didn't have to step over someone shooting up on the sidewalk (or the turd they left behind). You wouldn't see a broad daylight theft. If it wasn't your car stereo that was stolen the problems felt a lot farther away.

Curious why you continue to live there if you feel it's gotten so much more dangerous? Perhaps rent control? There are so many nice and safer parts of SF.

Surprisingly though, mission south of 24th has gotten better in the past decade.

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