Street corner with a building displaying a "For Lease" sign, metal barricades along the sidewalk, and pedestrians crossing at a crosswalk with yellow markings.
6:21 p.m 6/12, west side of Mission Street, Photo by Lydia Chávez


You can see all the 16th Street posts here.

The barricades lined up against the building on the northwest corner of Mission Street on Wednesday prevented pedestrians from standing against the sides of the building on Thursday.

It likely helped that patrol officers, along with workers from the Department of Public Works, were also present during the day. Three officers made at least one arrest Thursday morning and cruisers patrolled the side streets.

These posts are a snapshot of the street scene, which can change quickly. At 6:11 p.m., for example, the west side of Mission Street was fairly clear. By 6:17 p.m. some vendors had already congregated in front of 1950 Mission St., the affordable housing complex, La Fenix.

That could change again. Just after 6 p.m., four DPW workers were waiting for their SFPD counterparts to keep patrolling. 

Wiese Street, Caledonia Street and Julian Avenue all had more activity closer to 15th Street, but were clearer at the 16th Street entrances.

Southwest 16th Street BART Plaza and the west side of Mission Street

  • A police SUV and a mobile command vehicle are parked near a public plaza with people sitting on benches; buildings and colorful murals are in the background.
    10:29 a.m. 6/12 southwest plaza. Photo by Gustavo Hernandez.
  • Urban intersection with buses, cars, and pedestrians crossing; overhead wires and palm trees visible, with buildings in the background under a clear sky.
    6:18 p.m 6/12, southwest plaza. Photo by Lydia Chávez.
  • People walk along a city sidewalk lined with parked cars, palm trees, and buildings on a sunny day.
    6:11 p.m 6/12, west side of Mission Street. Photo by Lydia Chávez.
  • A group of people stand and sit on a city sidewalk near a building with colorful walls and a palm tree; some are gathered around a shopping cart.
    6:17 p.m 6/12, west side of Mission Street. Photo by Lydia Chávez.

Northeast Plaza and the east side of Mission Street

  • A city street scene shows people waiting at a bus stop with colorful graffiti covering nearby buildings and a crosswalk in the foreground.
    10:23 a.m. 6/12 northeast 16th street plaza. Photo by Gustavo Hernandez.
  • A street vendor sells snacks and drinks from a colorful cart while three uniformed workers stand nearby in an urban area with murals.
    6:18 p.m. 6/12, northeast plaza. Photo by Lydia Chávez.
  • People are gathered with belongings near a colorful graffiti-covered wall on a city sidewalk, with litter and a bus visible in the background.
    10:45 a.m. 6/12 northeast 16th street plaza. Photo by Gustavo Hernandez.
  • People walk along a city sidewalk with murals on one side, parked cars on the other, and various pedestrians and street activity in the background.
    6:16 p.m 6/12, east side of Mission Street. Photo by Lydia Chávez.
  • A person sits on a city sidewalk beside a walker and a cart filled with belongings, near a colorful graffiti-covered wall. Pedestrians walk in the background.
    6:17 p.m 6/12, east side of Mission Street. Photo by Lydia Chávez.

Caledonia Street

  • Narrow alley with graffiti-covered walls, two parked cars, one partially on a sidewalk, and wet pavement under overcast light.
    10:06 a.m. 6/12, An unmarked vehicle with three SFPD officers squeezes by a parked car on Caledonia street. Photo by Gustavo Hernandez.
  • Narrow urban alley with graffiti on walls, a bright orange trash bin, metal fences, overhead wires, and a white car parked near the end of the alley.
    10:07 a.m. 6/12, On Caledonia Street. Photo by Gustavo Hernandez.
  • A narrow urban alleyway with graffiti on the left wall, a garbage bag on the sidewalk, parked cars, and a person crossing the street.
    10:08 a.m. 6/12 A person walks down 15th and Caledonia streets. Photo by Gustavo Hernandez.
  • A narrow urban alleyway with graffiti on the right wall, litter scattered on the ground, and buildings lining both sides under daylight.
    6:09 p.m. 6/12, Caledonia Street. Photo by Lydia Chávez.

Julian Avenue

  • A person stands partially hidden behind a large tree on a city sidewalk in front of a yellow building and a gated entrance.
    10:13 a.m. 6/12, A man urinates behind a tree on Julian Avenue. Photo by Gustavo Hernandez.
  • A small pile of assorted clothes and a cup are scattered on the sidewalk next to a brick building on a quiet urban street with parked cars and trees.
    10:14 a.m. 6/12, Julian Avenue. Photo by Gustavo Hernandez.
  • A city sidewalk lined with parked cars and trees, with a few people standing by vehicles and buildings on either side.
    10:14 a.m. 6/12, Julian Avenue. Photo by Gustavo Hernandez.
  • A man in plaid walks down an urban alley while several police officers speak to a group of people near a storefront. A parked car and buildings are visible in the background.
    10:15 a.m. 6/12, Julian Avenue. Photo by Gustavo Hernandez.
  • A group of people gather near a building on a city sidewalk next to parked cars; residential buildings line the street.
    6:09 p.m. 6/12, Julian Avenue. Photo by Lydia Chávez.
  • A city sidewalk with parked cars on one side and a row of buildings, including the Kailash Hotel, on the other; a pedestrian is visible in the distance.
    6:09 p.m. 6/12, Julian Avenue. Photo by Lydia Chávez.

Wiese Street

  • A man carrying a plastic bag walks down an urban alley as a police car with flashing lights is parked ahead. The walls are covered in graffiti, and metal barriers line the street.
    10:16 a.m. 6/12, A person is seen on Wiese Street is seen in the direction of 16th Street while two others head in the opposite direction. Photo by Gustavo Hernandez.
  • A police SUV with flashing lights is parked on the side of a city alley, with two people visible in the distance near the end of the street.
    10:17 a.m. 6/12 A SFPD cruiser with its lights flashing is stationed as two people exit Wiese Street in the direction of 15th Street. Photo by Gustavo Hernandez.
  • A narrow city alley with graffiti-covered walls, metal barricades along the sides, some litter on the ground, and a parked car near the end of the alley.
    6:10 p.m. 6/12, Wiese Street. Photo by Lydia Chávez.

Capp Street

  • A group of people sit with belongings on a sidewalk outside an apartment building; a cyclist and a pedestrian pass by on the street.
    10:42 a.m. 6/12 Capp Street. Photo by Gustavo Hernandez.
  • A city street intersection with yellow crosswalk lines, cars parked along the sides, and buildings on both corners under a clear blue sky.
    6:19 p.m.. 6/12, Capp Street. Photo by Lydia Chávez.
  • A city sidewalk with graffiti, a crosswalk button, parked cars, a bag of trash by the curb, and apartment buildings in the background.
    6:19 p.m.. 6/12, Capp Street looking north from 16th Street. Photo by Lydia Chávez.

Follow Us

Founder/Executive Editor. I’ve been a Mission resident since 1998 and a professor emeritus at Berkeley’s J-school since 2019. I got my start in newspapers at the Albuquerque Tribune in the city where I was born and raised. Like many local news outlets, The Tribune no longer exists. I left daily newspapers after working at The New York Times for the business, foreign and city desks. Lucky for all of us, it is still here.

As an old friend once pointed out, local has long been in my bones. My Master’s Project at Columbia, later published in New York Magazine, was on New York City’s experiment in community boards.

At ML, I've been trying to figure out how to make my interest in local news sustainable. If Mission Local is a model, the answer might be that you - the readers - reward steady and smart content. As a thank you for that support we work every day to make our content even better.

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.

Join the Conversation

1 Comment

  1. Bottom line ?

    That would be that to keep order in this tough location in this tough neighborhood requires a Permanent SFPD or perhaps Sheriff’s Department presence to keep the Peace.

    Bring back Feinstein’s Kobans but bigger with a stage and speakers podium ?

    24/7/365

    It would take lots fewer cops for that Plan than they are wasting now.

    go Niners !!

    h.

    go Niners !!

    h.

    0
    -5
    votes. Sign in to vote
    Reply
Leave a comment
Please keep your comments short and civil. Do not leave multiple comments under multiple names on one article. We will zap comments that fail to adhere to these short and easy-to-follow rules.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *