Police and workers in yellow vests stand on a city sidewalk near a colorful mural, with pedestrians and palm trees in the background.
3/31/25 SW 16th Street Plaza Photo by Gustavo Hernandez

Rain kept the plazas and side streets in check this afternoon. At  2:24 p.m. on the northeast plaza, a single fruit vendor stood under a colorful umbrella.  

A Public Works employee in full protective gear pressure-washed the sidewalk on the northeast plaza at 3:04 p.m. An hour and a half later, rain swept through and cleared the plazas. 

Two San Francisco police officers visited Casa Esperanza, housing for transitional youth from the age of 18 to 24 at  3061 16th St.  Officers were there for about five minutes and said it was a routine visit. The encounter was quiet and no one was arrested.

Before the rain started, city workers and police officers gathered as part of ongoing street cleaning and outreach efforts. Public Works employees in bright yellow vests swept the sidewalk while SFPD officers monitored the nearby foot traffic. Despite the drizzle, the city maintenance workers continued to work.  

A man in a wheelchair sat by himself, gesturing to someone passing by.

The sidestreets were also quiet this afternoon. Following the afternoon rain, Mauricio, a nearby resident from Julian Avenue, swept debris from the east side of Julian. He said he was working to keep leaves and trash from clogging the storm drains.

A narrow alley with graffiti-covered walls and metal barriers along the sides. Puddles are visible on the pavement. Trees and buildings are in the background.
3/31/25 Caledonia Photo by Gustavo Hernandez
A narrow alley with graffiti-covered walls and metal barriers along the sides. Puddles are visible on the pavement. Trees and buildings are in the background.
3/31/25 Caledonia
Photo by Gustavo Hernandez
Person wearing a red puffer jacket holding a broomstick, showcasing rings on both hands.
3/31/25 Julian Avenue, east side
A detail of Mauricio’s rings.

Photo by Gustavo Hernandez
Street scene with parked cars, a blue recycling bin on the sidewalk, and multiple buildings. Power lines and a stop sign are visible. Overcast weather.
3/31/25 Julian Avenue, west side
Photo by Gustavo Hernandez
A person sweeps the sidewalk near a tree-lined street with cars parked along the curb. Buildings are reflected in a large puddle in the foreground.
3/31/25 Julian Avenue, east side. After the sudden rain, Mauricio is seen clearing trash from the edge of the curb. He said he wanted to help keep the area clean and prevent the drains from flooding.
Gustavo Hernandez
Blurred pedestrian walking on a rainy street. Buildings and shops, including a taqueria, line the wet pavement. A few people are visible along the sidewalk in the background.
3/31//25 Wiese Street
Photo by Gustavo Hernandez
Two police officers stand at a doorway, one entering a building, while an older man with a blue plastic bag walks nearby on a sidewalk.
3/31/25 Two SFPD entered Casa Esperanza (House of Hope) on 16th Street across from Julian Avenue.
Photo by Gustavo Hernandez
Person in an orange poncho by garbage bags on a rainy street.
3/31/25 A sudden downpour surprised many on 16th Street. Some continued with their day, while others took shelter under building overhangs to wait out the rain.
Photo by Gustavo Hernandez
A person in a high-visibility vest and protective clothing power-washes a sidewalk on a rainy day in an urban area. Traffic and pedestrians are visible in the background.
3/31/25 NE 16th Street Plaza. A Public Works employee pressure washes the sidewalk of 16th Street Plaza.
Photo by Gustavo Hernandez
People walking at a busy urban intersection with colorful crosswalks, palm trees, and graffiti-covered buildings in the background.
3/31/2025 NE 16th Street Plaza

Photo by Gustavo Hernandez
Urban street scene with cars waiting at a red light, a person pushing a stroller on a crosswalk, and pedestrians on the sidewalk. Buildings line the street under a cloudy sky.
3/31/25 Capp Street looking south
Photo by Gustavo Hernandez

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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.

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6 Comments

  1. This series is so incredibly helpful in showing the day-to-day progress at the 16th BART area, which had gotten completely disgusting. My business, which has been running for 16 years is barely a block away and is directly affected by all this. I 100% applaud all efforts to get and keep the area safe and clean for everyone.

    PLEASE keep this series going as long as you can. It’s a great way to have the city keep up what they’ve started!

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  2. I have not found this coverage helpful in understanding the reality of the area. I don’t feel that the photography approach is even and showing the entire picture.

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  3. One way to vastly improve the 16th St. plaza would be by banning amplified sound from it.

    It’s small, so anybody who is speaking there can be easily heard with their natural voice.

    The amplification is a nuisance, I can hear some of the speakers all the way from 16th & Valencia two blocks away.

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  4. Gustavo,

    Notice in your first pic of 6 City Workers, cops and DPW are only talking to each other?

    That says more than anything I’ve seen written anywhere lately.

    The Cops have lost touch with the Community because we don’t have Foot Patrols all over town and Police Kobans at Hot Spots 24/7/365

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    1. ‘Two San Francisco police officers visited Casa Esperanza, housing for transitional youth from the age of 18 to 24 at 3061 16th St. Officers were there for about five minutes and said it was a routine visit. The encounter was quiet and no one was arrested.” I don’t get it, police have to arrest everyone they stop and talk to?

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