A longtime Oakland-based social worker, who commutes into San Francisco daily for work, maneuvered around human waste on Mission Street. “I didn’t used to see open drug use,” she said. “Now it’s no big thing to use right out in the open. There used to be an etiquette to it.” She recalled an older man years ago in the Tenderloin scolding young users: “Don’t do this outside. Go in your house and do that.” Now, she said, “there’s no stigma left.”
At 1801 Mission St., near 14th Street, she pointed toward a new modernist apartment complex with orange and gray accents. “There’s just more of an increase of, like, police presence,” she said. “And then this idea of like, ‘clean it up, make it look nice.’ But people are still in crisis.
Two blocks over on Capp Street, Kerry sat beside an auto body shop with his dog Lil G, a chihuahua-Jack Russell mix wrapped in a blanket and tucked into a baby stroller. In a gray felt folder, Kerry kept clinic flyers, housing forms, and The Berenstain Bears’ B Book.
“It’s not been easy out here,” he said. “People are quick to judge and place me in the same category as others. But I’m just trying to live with purpose.”
He described getting hooked on opioids after a car hit him at age 13. “When the pill epidemic happened, doctors got afraid to prescribe. I had no choice but to self-medicate.”
Police don’t harass him much, he said, but it’s exhausting to stay on the move. “I usually sit for about ten minutes before I feel like I have to get up. We’re not all out here destroying the place — some of us are just trying to do the right thing.”
Looking down at Lil G, Kerry said, “I’m just trying to live with purpose.”
4/25/25 Caledonia Street, 9:39 a.m. A man in a rain jacket sat across from two orange 32-gallon trash bins lined with black bags. The bins were nearly empty, and the street was mostly deserted. Photo by Gustavo Hernandez4/25/25 Julian Avenue, 9:45 a.m. A man with a rolling suitcase looked for the entrance to the Gubbio Project. “I’m here — oh, it’s the other side?” he said into his phone while rounding the corner from 15th Street. Another man in a windbreaker reached out to greet him: “So you’re looking for more permanent housing?” Both headed up the steps. Photo by Gustavo Hernandez4/25/25 Julian Avenue. Photo by Gustavo Hernandez4/25/25 Wiese Street, 9:51 a.m. Four people moved toward 16th Street. Trash was scattered along the center of the street. Photo by Gustavo Hernandez4/25/25 Northeast 16th Street Plaza, 9:52 a.m. About a dozen people congregated near the BART station, carrying Marshalls bags and wearing hoodies. One person spread items from a backpack onto a piece of fabric.. About 10 minutes later, a BART truck and an SFPD vehicle parked on the plaza, seemingly moving the group along. Photo by Gustavo Hernandez4/25/25 Southeast 16th Street Plaza A SFPD vehicle was parked beside the Mobile Command Unit. The plaza appeared clean, with about three people seated on the center steps as Friday morning foot traffic moved past. Photo by Gustavo Hernandez4/25/25 Northeast 16th Street Plaza Photo by Gustavo Hernandez4/25/25 Capp Street. Kerry and his dog of 7 years Lil G on 16th and Capp street. Five people clustered at the corner of 16th and Capp streets. Pedestrians walked in the street to avoid the sidewalk, as postal trucks and box trucks entered and exited 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’re not all out here destroying the place — some of us are just trying to do the right thing.” … “I’m just trying to live with purpose.” uhhhhh also clueless.
Like the rest of us who began with nothing but family who we knew loved us, always did our homework and passed it in, studied for tests and examinations, got along with the other students and respected our teachers, participated in classroom discussions, then did the same in Middle School, then the same in High School, then the same while working towards a trade that continues to pay the bills while, also, just TGIF and that’s it. “lessons”?
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We’re not all out here destroying the place — some of us are just trying to do the right thing.” … “I’m just trying to live with purpose.” uhhhhh also clueless.
“A longtime Oakland-based social worker, who commutes into San Francisco daily for work”. Typical. Stay in Oakland!
So people are allowed to commute into the city to be bartenders, waiters, lawyers, teachers, housekeepers, etc… but not social workers?
Is care not being offered, or not being accepted?
Like the rest of us who began with nothing but family who we knew loved us, always did our homework and passed it in, studied for tests and examinations, got along with the other students and respected our teachers, participated in classroom discussions, then did the same in Middle School, then the same in High School, then the same while working towards a trade that continues to pay the bills while, also, just TGIF and that’s it. “lessons”?