On Albion Street, just a five-minute walk west fromCaledonia Street near the 16th Street BART Station, life can feel like a different world, in terms of cleanliness, noise and daily tension.
Local resident and 16th Street Alliance member Eric Trapper has lived in the Mission District on and off since 1989, but has remained on Albion Street between 16th and 17th streets since 2014. He credits the visible success of Albion to a combination of factors.
Albion’s residents maintain consistent pressure on local officials and were quick to put up planters along Camp Street, a short block that intersects with Albion, where homeless residents often set up tents in 2021 to 2023.
“People on Albion will say something to people, or report it,” Trapper noted. “There’s more of a sense of ownership and residential frontage.”
That proximity, and participation, matters. Trapper said his block sees fewer encampments or drug sales than those closer to the 16th Street BART Station. “You go one block away — Julian, Caledonia — and it’s a totally different thing,” he said. “That whole Walgreens … was just a free-for-all. Do what the hell you want, and no one did anything about it.”
There’s also coordination. Albion is home to a supportive housing site for people recently released from prison. “It’s also an SRO where people who have just gotten out of prison and are trying to get it together live,” Trapper said. “Those guys are mostly trying to stay out of the way and keep their heads down. But it’s managed pretty well. And when stuff goes sideways, they report it and deal with it.”
Efforts to keep Albion safe have required collaboration, but Trapper emphasized that small differences add up. “We’re still in the thick of it,” he said, “but this block shows what’s possible when people pay attention.”
5/05/25 At 9:30 a.m., Caledonia Street saw six people near the orange trash bins that appeared full. One person used a wheelchair; others carried bags slung over their shoulders. Photo by Gustavo Hernandez.5/05/25 At 9:37 a.m., Julian Avenue also had two orange bins available. A person with a blue rolling trash bin had tied a milk crate atop its lid. The area near the Gubbio Project was quiet, with a few people walking in. Photo by Gustavo Hernandez.5/05/25 Julian Avenue. Photo by Gustavo Hernandez.5/05/25 At 10:13 a.m., Wiese Street had nine people near its 16th Street end. Five of them openly used drugs. Passersby glanced down the block, then quickly looked away. On the 15th Street side, activity was quieter, with four people scattered along the center of the street. Photo by Gustavo Hernandez.5/05/25 At 9:53 a.m., the southwest 16th Street plaza had more people at the bus stops than on the steps, which saw only three individuals. A man in an orange high-visibility shirt picked up trash near the 16th and Mission bus stop. Photo by Gustavo Hernandez.5/05/25 Southwest 16th Street Plaza A man in an orange high-visibility shirt picked up trash near the 16th and Mission bus stop. Photo by Photo by Gustavo Hernandez.5/05/25 At 9:54 a.m., the northeast plaza had three SFPD officers and two crisis intervention specialists gathered at the center. Photo by Gustavo Hernandez.5/05/25 Northeast 16th Street Plaza A few feet away, near the former Walgreens, about 10 people sat. One man slouched over a spare tire, his hood up and eyes half-closed. Photo by Gustavo Hernandez. 5/05/25 At 10:00 a.m., Capp Street had about six people on the corner of 16th. One man shaved with a disposable razor while chatting. Photo by Gustavo Hernandez.5/05/25 Capp Street Outside the Mission Neighborhood Resource Center, the block was empty aside from a parked Homeless Outreach Team (HOT) vehicle. 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.
Albion benefits from being wider (more like Julian), having the Valencia corridor there, and having more active spaces on it—Duggans Funeral Home at 17th, the bars and the now-active Social Security building at 16th, the Monastery and the community of Valencia Gardens on 15th. Here on the North side of Albion we likewise had a lot of issues with encampments, tagging, garbage and late-night noise near the corner, especially while the Social Security building was empty. Homeowners installed more lights on the street, and a group of residents volunteered to pick up litter daily, and paint over graffiti more often. We still get our share of public urination and feces—both dog bags and human—and a fair amount of dumping or abandoned encampments. But it doesn’t feel like it’s gotten worse in the past 56 days, at least.
Guess people are tired of commenting, huh? Kudos to ML for continuing with this,though. Please send these article links to the Mayor: daniel.lurie@sfgov.org
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So . . . your report on the crackdown today is covering a street without problems that’s outside the zone of the crackdowns? That’s weird.
Albion benefits from being wider (more like Julian), having the Valencia corridor there, and having more active spaces on it—Duggans Funeral Home at 17th, the bars and the now-active Social Security building at 16th, the Monastery and the community of Valencia Gardens on 15th. Here on the North side of Albion we likewise had a lot of issues with encampments, tagging, garbage and late-night noise near the corner, especially while the Social Security building was empty. Homeowners installed more lights on the street, and a group of residents volunteered to pick up litter daily, and paint over graffiti more often. We still get our share of public urination and feces—both dog bags and human—and a fair amount of dumping or abandoned encampments. But it doesn’t feel like it’s gotten worse in the past 56 days, at least.
Guess people are tired of commenting, huh? Kudos to ML for continuing with this,though. Please send these article links to the Mayor: daniel.lurie@sfgov.org