SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — An open-air drug market has began to take over a San Francisco park at night time — sparking considerations amongst neighbors.
“It’s pretty; it’s esthetically pleasing if it was cleaned up,” stated one neighbor.
Through the day, Jefferson Sq. Park in San Francisco is a beloved spot for canine walkers. However at night time, issues take a flip for the more serious. Cellphone video reveals the park overrun by an open-air drug market.
“Well, they call it ‘”‘Zombie Park,’ some folks name it the brand new UN Plaza,” stated Sebastian who lives close to Jefferson Sq. Park.
5 occasions as many African Individuals die of overdoses in SF, in comparison with different teams
Jefferson Sq. Park in San Francisco has been dubbed “Zombie Park” for its open-air drug market.
Sebastian has lived close by for practically 30 years. He desires to stay nameless for his security however feels compelled to talk out about how scary the park has develop into within the final couple of months.
“It is very scary because you know there are two schools around here,” he stated. “Also we have elderly and people who live in the neighborhood they are afraid to walk with the drug dealers and users all over the place.”
This park is positioned on Gough Road a few half mile away from Metropolis Corridor and subsequent to Sacred Coronary heart Cathedral. The college has put up ‘No Trespassing’ indicators by its area.
“The park is a mess now,” Sebastian stated. “All the neighbors have been complaining.”
Supervisor Balil Mahmood has heard these complaints — from folks saying the drug dealing has moved to the park from his district within the Tenderloin.
“SoMa and the TL are looking really good compared to a couple of months ago, but things are getting worse in other neighborhoods,” Mahmood stated.
Mahmood determined to see it for himself — strolling the park with employees from the Drug Market Company Coordination Heart (DMACC), a activity power with a number of totally different companies.
“We didn’t see any arrests that day because sometimes a lot of these things can be solved without an arrest and that’s something that DMACC knows,” Mahmood stated. “I saw first hand to people suffering on our streets.”
There’s a ‘renaissance’ in San Francisco, NBA commissioner says
However Sebastian says when the park does get cleared out, all of the folks simply transfer all the way down to Van Ness and Eddy streets.
Supervisor Mahmood might be introducing laws to offer extra funding for DMACC’s activity power to allow them to enhance staffing to seven days per week. He’ll current this to supervisors on the subsequent board assembly at Metropolis Corridor.
This has Sebastian and different neighbors feeling hopeful in regards to the streets and parks changing into safer and cleaner.
