Majority of San Francisco Residents Steer Clear of Downtown Due to Homeless, Crime: ‘Mood is Bleak’

A new poll shows people living in and around the San Francisco Bay Area largely keep away from the downtowns of the region's three major urban centers, including Oakland and San Jose.

Most people said the homelessness that plagues the three cities keeps them away, according to the results of a recent poll sponsored by the Bay Area News Group and regional think tank Joint Venture Silicon Valley, which was published by The Mercury News.

People were asked why they visit downtown San Francisco, San Jose, and Oakland, as well as the reasons why they're maybe less apt to make the trip.

The top responses for why people won't visit the area's three urban hubs were "Too many unhoused people" and "Don't feel safe."

Over 50 percent of the survey's respondents ticked these two answers; participants were told they could choose multiple reasons.

"Too hard to park" and "Too dirty" were also responses that generated a high response rate. Many also said they simply had no reason to visit these areas.

Entertainment was the top reason offered by respondents for visiting the three cities, along with school or work, shopping, and seeing family and friends.

"The mood is dark," said Russell Hancock, CEO of Joint Venture Silicon Valley. "It's heartbreaking to see this happen to three really great cities. This is frustrating because there’s no clear answer."

A count conducted by the city in early 2022 shows that in San Francisco alone, on any given evening, about 3,400 people sleep in a shelter while about 4,400 sleep on the streets.