4/23/25 10:36 a.m., a group of eight sheriff’s deputies walked through the area after having arrived earlier in a white Ford Sprinter van parked near the northeast plaza.
Photo by Gustavo Hernandez
As a group of eight sheriff’s deputies moved alongside four Department of Public Works employees in high-visibility rain jackets, they approached the southwest 16th Street plaza. One of the DPW workers spotted a person carrying a blue IKEA bag walking in the opposite direction. He glanced into the bag as they passed, and appeared suspicious.
“There were a bunch of tagged items in that bag,” the worker told one of the deputies walking beside him. But nothing came of it.
Among the group was Paul Hayward, a code enforcement supervisor for DPW. Code enforcement supervisors like Hayward oversee compliance with public health, safety, and environmental regulations in public spaces, including issues like unpermitted vending, graffiti and sidewalk obstructions.
Wearing a red and gray 49ers cap and brown tortoiseshell Ray-Ban Meta sunglasses with red lenses, Hayward was optimistic about Mayor Daniel Lurie. The mayor, he said, is “starting to change the hearts and minds of the community. People are starting to feel better about San Francisco. And it’s noticeable.”
What would he like see happen at the plazas? “I want to see traditional arts and culture here in the plazas. That’s what I’m working for. That’s what I hope to see.”
4/23/25 Paul Hayward, a code enforcement supervisor with San Francisco Public Works, stands at the southwest plaza during Wednesdays morning’s assesment. Photo by Gustavo Hernandez.4/23/25 At 9:54 a.m., about eight people were scattered along Caledonia Street near 15th Street. One person, wearing two backpacks, entered the street heading south. A single orange trash can lined with a black bag sat nearby. Photo by Gustavo Hernadnez.4/23/25Julian Avenue near the Gubbio Project at 15th Street was quiet, compared to the scene near 16th and Julian.4/23/25 There, four people with bikes and rolling suitcases gathered outside the Kailash Hotel. One man, who declined to give his name, shouted through the front door, holding up two jars of instant coffee and insisting that the person take them. The exchange escalated, ending with the man yelling, “You sell drugs in that hotel!” Photo by Gustavo Hernandez.4/23/25 By 10:01 a.m., Wiese Street was in the middle of a DPW cleanup. A worker tossed trash into the truck as sanitation debris scattered along the curb and sidewalks. Photo by Gustavo Hernandez.4/23/25 At 10:16 a.m., the southeast plaza remained clear of police, aside from the Mobile Command Unit that has remained stationed there. Photo by Gustavo Hernandez.4/23/25 At 10:06 a.m., the northeast plaza had about a half dozen people waiting for the bus and another five seated at the center of the plaza. A police SVU vehicle was parked nearby, but no officers were on foot. Photo by Gustavo Hernandez.4/23/25 By 10:36 a.m., a group of eight sheriff’s deputies walked through the area after having arrived earlier in a white Ford Sprinter van parked near the northeast plaza. Photo by Gustavo Hernandez.4/23/25 Capp Street, at 10:21 a.m., was lively near the Mission Neighborhood Resource Center, where two people stood near the center of the block. Photo by Gustavo Hernandez.
Gustavo Hernandez is a freelance photojournalist and videographer currently living in Excelsior District. He graduated in Fall 2024 with a double major in Journalism (Photojournalism) and BECA (Broadcasting and Electronic Communications Arts) from San Francisco State University. You can periodically catch him dodging potholes on his scooter and actively eating pho.
We need for Mission Housing and MEDA to work with BART to redesign the BART Plaza with an eye towards community affirming active uses like food and culture.
We need for Supervisor Fielder and Mayor Lurie to identify, acquire, fund and deploy nimble pressure washing rigs to ensure a 4 hour turnaround time on feces.
Paul Hayward is a 20 year friend who coordinated and secured the 200 pieces of art on display in the Walter Wong Complex across from City Builders (remember when it was called ‘Goodman’s’ ?) where Gonzo had his headquarters in the 2003 Mayoral Campaign where Mohammed Nuru won his spurs for Newsom and Eric Jaye by tearing down Matt’s signs and replacing them with Gavin’s and coming in City vans to his events to harass attendees.
I was ‘Propoganda – yeah I misspelled it- Minister’ and did a fifth of bourbon a day greeting visitors with Matt’s pop who had been Light Heavyweight Champ of the 7th Fleet during Korea.
Paul completely covered his little compact sedan with glued on Gonzalez signs and I mean completely (anyone got pictures?) and he was security in early part of the month long runoff (we had 3 kitchens and 3 stages with parties every night and a pond with aquarium level vegetation and giant Koi fish worth a grand a pop).
Paul worked Protection for Matt’s place with Len Pettibone, the former Eagles linebacker and Pro Wrestler and Boxer who’d run on the same ticket as me against Newsom in the 2002 District 2 Supe race – the Governor’s first run for elected office.
Once two middle sized guys in detective level sports coats came in and started going through office drawers with people still sitting at the desks (looking for drugs?) and did not ID themselves as cops and laughed at me when I told them to leave and suddenly the massive Pettibone and, no slouch, Hayward showed up and stuffed them into a small ante room until uniformed cops came to rescue them.
And, while this Farcical Cop Show is going on at 16th and Mission on the 21st, me and my dog called for some help from 911 when we were surrounded by 6 of the thieves Chief Scott’s boys had chased from the BART station.
Nobody came.
Paul is right, there should be a proper stage on both entries to the BART stop with Mariucci bands and Licensed Vendors with Permanent Stalls marked off.
Put Hayward in charge and he’ll do a great job just like he did with the art and entertainment stages in the 2003 Gonzalez campaign.
“There were a bunch of tagged items in that bag,”
Almost like they come with those tags when you buy things… Nice work Detectives. Good thing there’s 8 of you standing around ‘suspiciously’ chalking up that pension with nothing better to do…
“including issues like unpermitted vending, graffiti, and sidewalk obstructions.” – Oh and a hearty “mission accomplished” there, too. The only thing this scene is missing is London Breed posing for a photo op and giving some BS speech about how things are changing – Lurie is standing in for that duty now. Wonderful job, public servants. I can feel the drug addiction and poverty fading away and the trash finding its way into the trash can already! Sure I’m imagining it, why not? Isn’t that the point of PR puff pieces?
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We need for Mission Housing and MEDA to work with BART to redesign the BART Plaza with an eye towards community affirming active uses like food and culture.
We need for Supervisor Fielder and Mayor Lurie to identify, acquire, fund and deploy nimble pressure washing rigs to ensure a 4 hour turnaround time on feces.
we tried that 15 to 20 years ago, new bums came in to sit on your nice pretty benches and drink Steel Reserve.
Gustavo,
Paul Hayward is a 20 year friend who coordinated and secured the 200 pieces of art on display in the Walter Wong Complex across from City Builders (remember when it was called ‘Goodman’s’ ?) where Gonzo had his headquarters in the 2003 Mayoral Campaign where Mohammed Nuru won his spurs for Newsom and Eric Jaye by tearing down Matt’s signs and replacing them with Gavin’s and coming in City vans to his events to harass attendees.
I was ‘Propoganda – yeah I misspelled it- Minister’ and did a fifth of bourbon a day greeting visitors with Matt’s pop who had been Light Heavyweight Champ of the 7th Fleet during Korea.
Paul completely covered his little compact sedan with glued on Gonzalez signs and I mean completely (anyone got pictures?) and he was security in early part of the month long runoff (we had 3 kitchens and 3 stages with parties every night and a pond with aquarium level vegetation and giant Koi fish worth a grand a pop).
Paul worked Protection for Matt’s place with Len Pettibone, the former Eagles linebacker and Pro Wrestler and Boxer who’d run on the same ticket as me against Newsom in the 2002 District 2 Supe race – the Governor’s first run for elected office.
Once two middle sized guys in detective level sports coats came in and started going through office drawers with people still sitting at the desks (looking for drugs?) and did not ID themselves as cops and laughed at me when I told them to leave and suddenly the massive Pettibone and, no slouch, Hayward showed up and stuffed them into a small ante room until uniformed cops came to rescue them.
And, while this Farcical Cop Show is going on at 16th and Mission on the 21st, me and my dog called for some help from 911 when we were surrounded by 6 of the thieves Chief Scott’s boys had chased from the BART station.
Nobody came.
Paul is right, there should be a proper stage on both entries to the BART stop with Mariucci bands and Licensed Vendors with Permanent Stalls marked off.
Put Hayward in charge and he’ll do a great job just like he did with the art and entertainment stages in the 2003 Gonzalez campaign.
go Warriors !!
h.
Would be wonderful to see the plazas demolished. Put some affordable housing there instead.
“There were a bunch of tagged items in that bag,”
Almost like they come with those tags when you buy things… Nice work Detectives. Good thing there’s 8 of you standing around ‘suspiciously’ chalking up that pension with nothing better to do…
“including issues like unpermitted vending, graffiti, and sidewalk obstructions.” – Oh and a hearty “mission accomplished” there, too. The only thing this scene is missing is London Breed posing for a photo op and giving some BS speech about how things are changing – Lurie is standing in for that duty now. Wonderful job, public servants. I can feel the drug addiction and poverty fading away and the trash finding its way into the trash can already! Sure I’m imagining it, why not? Isn’t that the point of PR puff pieces?
Looks like DPW code enforcement is not working at 16th Street Plaza. Take a look around. 16th Street BART Plaza should be renamed Zombie Plaza.