San Francisco is a ****hole.

Grayson

Deiselurker wrote: »

My brother has been living there for many years and loves it there. I've been there many times visiting and it's an interesting city with loads to see and do. It has a great history too.
The homeless problem is mainly in city centre and seeing mentally ill or addicted people passed out on street is a bit of a shock but I would not let it put me off. Many of the homeless come from other parts of USA because of mild climate and because they are tolerated more than in other cities. Also I've heard of other cities paying for tickets for their homeless to go there. You definitely see the divide between rich and poor there with huge multi million mansions in some areas.

I've just been googling it and most of the homeless are from SF or other parts of california.

The vast majority of the people who are homeless today used to be housed – in San Francisco. According to the city’s 2015 homeless count, 71 percent of the people on the streets were living in San Francisco when they lost their housing. That means seven out of ten homeless people used to be your neighbors – before the tech boom and the eviction epidemic. Those are, to a significant extent, people who are homeless not because they did anything wrong but because they aren’t rich enough to live in Ed Lee’s San Francisco.

Another 19 percent came from somewhere else in California, and ten percent from the rest of the country – but the last time anyone asked, back in 2009, whether they had come here for good services, only 1 percent said yes. The rest came here, in many cases, to leave abusive, homophobic, or repressive situations; they came here not for money but for tolerance.

Many of them – as many as 30 percent – are LGBT or disabled. Thousands are young people. Many have just aged out of foster care – and at 18, have no ability to earn the income that is required to rent an apartment, or even a room in a crowded flat.

From here. https://www.sftu.org/2018/06/five-myths-about-the-homeless-problem-in-san-francisco/

That's some kind of blog but the guy does cite sources.

con___manx1

All the homeless from all over the country go to san fran for the warmer climate. I was told when i was in the city that other states as far away as new york pay the homeless peoples bus ticket to get rid of them.
Its the same in canada all the homless go to vancouver as they will likely freeze to death in the other citys.
Anyone visiting san fran stay away from tenderloin. Its rough. The rest of the city is grand.

Grayson

wakka12 wrote: »

Its a beautiful city with so much going for it, its expensive because lots of people want to live there. But yes it has problems. I hate when people say Paris, London, Sydney, Berlin, New York (insert any other famous western city )etc are ****e. No mention of any actually ****e cities like Dhaka, Mumbai, Damascus, Baghdad, Karachi and Port Au Prince which are ****e in every sense of the word with no redeeming features

What you mean to say is you see major problems in a city which is generally considered among one of the nicest in the world with highest quality of life

I lived in baghdad pre gulf war one. It's a beautiful city. There's great food and loads of museums etc. there's loads of archaeological sites nearby like babylon which I'd highly recommend seeing if you were there. The architecture is amazing too.

Of course, nowadays you could get abducted. So I wouldn't actually recommend going there in the first place. BUt it's wrong to say that there's no redeeming feature.

snotboogie

Augeo wrote: »

Boston is grand
Small city admittedly.

Greater Boston has a bigger population than the entire Bay Area and Ireland for that matter. It also has some extremely sketchy parts, not a patch on the West Coast cities but a different world to the worst of Dublin.

ArnoldJRimmer

ThomasFlynn wrote: »

Aww this thread really upsets me.

I've never been to the US before and finally heading there for the very first time this summer and decided to pick San Francisco as my first American city. Been saving up for it for a few months now.

People bad mouth SF but I look into considering LA instead people moan about that saying its souless, has no real city centre. I look at Vegas and people call that fake, overrated, tacky etc.

It seems like every city in the US is hated one way or another.

Seriously, nothing to worry about, its a fantastic city to visit. Yes, it as a serious homeless problem as they come from all corners of the country, and because its tolerated in a way you don't see anywhere else in the States. Stay away from the Tenderloin/ Fillmore District areas which are seriously grim (although I did get a very cheap hotel there, didn't realise it also doubled up as a homeless hostel)

Although its tough with the hills, I'd recommend renting a bike, and cycling over the bridge. Golden Gate Park is enormous too. Alcatraz tour is a must, Haight Ashbury for some cool bars and restaurants

NSAman

San Francisco was one of those cities I always wanted to see. First time there I did all the tourist things, enjoyed them a lot. Stayed at the St. Francis (which has seen better days) and enjoyed it until I had to actually explore the city outside of the tourist areas. Boy ... did my opinion change of this city.

The people, while mostly friendly, have become blind to the state of the city and the homelessness and crazies that inhabit this city. Multimillionaires block it out. They flee from the city to their lovely homes after dinner. Walking along Grant or Stockton Streets around Union Square means seeing people destitute and shouting at no-one. LV, Hermes, Gucci cannot hide the fact that this city is a disaster for humanity in many ways. There are seriously mentally ill people everywhere, this is a federal problem thanks to the closing of mental health services. Urine, needles, can be seen in many areas. Surrounding the posh areas downtown, one block from Hilton are the poor. It is not a pretty sight.

Some areas have spectacular views. However, the thing that I could not get my head around is the sheer poverty of people.

LA has major issues too. Downtown LA, where new condos go for millions, where business is booming and the downtown is generally seeing an upswing, sees human garbage (and I use that term from observation and experience) on the sidewalk. What I personally thought was garbage left to collect, was actually a human living under crap on the street. To say I was shocked was an understatement. I simply couldn't get it out of my mind as I went to dinner with some business colleagues. I ordered a meal and left it beside the guy on the street. I honestly, in all good conscience, pass by someone who was obviously in such a sad state.

California should be able to sort its own problems out. There is SO much wealth in the worlds 5th largest economy. Yet, there is utter destitution everywhere. It reminds me of camps in Africa during famines. Every overpass, underpass, park, doorway seemed to have people living in cardboard boxes. Then the Bentleys, Masseratti's, Rollers.. would drive by... it left me feeling disgusted and sad.

I have been back to SF and LA many times and neither of these Cities are an enjoyable experience. I tend to fly in, do my job and fly out again... mostly as I cannot stomach the hypocrisy of wealth and poverty. Do I try to help when I am there? Of course.... but I am just one person. Buying a pair of shoes and socks for people without may solve an immediate issue, but this is a societal issue and one that is not glamorous... hence does not get the "celebs" involved.

snotboogie

wakka12 wrote: »

Its a beautiful city with so much going for it, its expensive because lots of people want to live there. But yes it has problems. I hate when people say Paris, London, Sydney, Berlin, New York (insert any other famous western city )etc are ****e. No mention of any actually ****e cities like Dhaka, Mumbai, Damascus, Baghdad, Karachi and Port Au Prince which are ****e in every sense of the word with no redeeming features

What you mean to say is you see major problems in a city which is generally considered among one of the nicest in the world with highest quality of life

Mumbai has no redeeming features? Granted it's a tough, tough slog of a city but to say it has nothing going for it is absolute BS

snotboogie

NSAman wrote: »

San Francisco was one of those cities I always wanted to see. First time there I did all the tourist things, enjoyed them a lot. Stayed at the St. Francis (which has seen better days) and enjoyed it until I had to actually explore the city outside of the tourist areas. Boy ... did my opinion change of this city.

The people, while mostly friendly, have become blind to the state of the city and the homelessness and crazies that inhabit this city. Multimillionaires block it out. They flee from the city to their lovely homes after dinner. Walking along Grant or Stockton Streets around Union Square means seeing people destitute and shouting at no-one. LV, Hermes, Gucci cannot hide the fact that this city is a disaster for humanity in many ways. There are seriously mentally ill people everywhere, this is a federal problem thanks to the closing of mental health services. Urine, needles, can be seen in many areas. Surrounding the posh areas downtown, one block from Hilton are the poor. It is not a pretty sight.

Some areas have spectacular views. However, the thing that I could not get my head around is the sheer poverty of people.

LA has major issues too. Downtown LA, where new condos go for millions, where business is booming and the downtown is generally seeing an upswing, sees human garbage (and I use that term from observation and experience) on the sidewalk. What I personally thought was garbage left to collect, was actually a human living under crap on the street. To say I was shocked was an understatement. I simply couldn't get it out of my mind as I went to dinner with some business colleagues. I ordered a meal and left it beside the guy on the street. I honestly, in all good conscience, pass by someone who was obviously in such a sad state.

California should be able to sort its own problems out. There is SO much wealth in the worlds 5th largest economy. Yet, there is utter destitution everywhere. It reminds me of camps in Africa during famines. Every overpass, underpass, park, doorway seemed to have people living in cardboard boxes. Then the Bentleys, Masseratti's, Rollers.. would drive by... it left me feeling disgusted and sad.

I have been back to SF and LA many times and neither of these Cities are an enjoyable experience. I tend to fly in, do my job and fly out again... mostly as I cannot stomach the hypocrisy of wealth and poverty. Do I try to help when I am there? Of course.... but I am just one person. Buying a pair of shoes and socks for people without may solve an immediate issue, but this is a societal issue and one that is not glamorous... hence does not get the "celebs" involved.

It's not just California, all of the big West Coast cities face the same issues; Seattle and Vancouver are just as bad as LA and San Fran.

jam_mac_jam

NSAman wrote: »

San Francisco was one of those cities I always wanted to see. First time there I did all the tourist things, enjoyed them a lot. Stayed at the St. Francis (which has seen better days) and enjoyed it until I had to actually explore the city outside of the tourist areas. Boy ... did my opinion change of this city.

The people, while mostly friendly, have become blind to the state of the city and the homelessness and crazies that inhabit this city. Multimillionaires block it out. They flee from the city to their lovely homes after dinner. Walking along Grant or Stockton Streets around Union Square means seeing people destitute and shouting at no-one. LV, Hermes, Gucci cannot hide the fact that this city is a disaster for humanity in many ways. There are seriously mentally ill people everywhere, this is a federal problem thanks to the closing of mental health services. Urine, needles, can be seen in many areas. Surrounding the posh areas downtown, one block from Hilton are the poor. It is not a pretty sight.

Some areas have spectacular views. However, the thing that I could not get my head around is the sheer poverty of people.

LA has major issues too. Downtown LA, where new condos go for millions, where business is booming and the downtown is generally seeing an upswing, sees human garbage (and I use that term from observation and experience) on the sidewalk. What I personally thought was garbage left to collect, was actually a human living under crap on the street. To say I was shocked was an understatement. I simply couldn't get it out of my mind as I went to dinner with some business colleagues. I ordered a meal and left it beside the guy on the street. I honestly, in all good conscience, pass by someone who was obviously in such a sad state.

California should be able to sort its own problems out. There is SO much wealth in the worlds 5th largest economy. Yet, there is utter destitution everywhere. It reminds me of camps in Africa during famines. Every overpass, underpass, park, doorway seemed to have people living in cardboard boxes. Then the Bentleys, Masseratti's, Rollers.. would drive by... it left me feeling disgusted and sad.

I have been back to SF and LA many times and neither of these Cities are an enjoyable experience. I tend to fly in, do my job and fly out again... mostly as I cannot stomach the hypocrisy of wealth and poverty. Do I try to help when I am there? Of course.... but I am just one person. Buying a pair of shoes and socks for people without may solve an immediate issue, but this is a societal issue and one that is not glamorous... hence does not get the "celebs" involved.

That’s a really interesting perspective of the US, I have heard that from others also but more from LA. I think a lot of people see the touristic areas and think everything is that wonderful.

Franz Von Peppercorn

TeaBagMania wrote: »

you couldn't if you wanted to, Comifornia routinely tramples on the United States Constitution's second amendment.
They are well on their way to outlawing ALL guns

Thats worrying all right for those of us living here in gun free Dublin.

The second amendment can be read in any number of different ways, depending on what you think a well regulated militia means.

quokula

Homelessness is a huge epidemic in the US, far worse than anywhere in Europe. There are no support systems at all so once somebody has mental health issues or develops a drug problem, or any kind of health issues that stop them working and they don't have insurance to deal with, that's basically it, they're roaming the streets and raiding bins for food for life.

San Francisco is one of the few cities that tries to help, with soup kitchens and shelters provided. This has led to a problem with homeless people from across the country trying to make their way there, and other cities and towns have been known to give people a one way ticket to SF to get rid of them.

Outside of a specific part of the city where these problems are rampant, SF is probably the nicest American city I've been to, and has many great areas.

rossie1977

Ultros wrote: »

Is there any blue city in the US where they've had rule for decades that isn't a complete shole? But, but Climate change.

Yes because Republican dominated areas are doing so amazing, the Democrat majority states are subsidizing the Republican voting ones. States like California, NY and the major cities in Texas (which btw all voted Democrat in latest Senate election) are keeping the us economy above water.

SharpshooterTom

rossie1977 wrote: »

Those Reagan, Bush tax cuts (and just wait till Trump's kick in fully) have shifted all the wealth to the top with everyone else fighting over the scraps.

It's worth pointing out though that it was Obama who made 99% of the Bush tax cuts permanent.

snotboogie

snotboogie wrote: »

Greater Boston has a bigger population than the entire Bay Area and Ireland for that matter. It also has some extremely sketchy parts, not a patch on the West Coast cities but a different world to the worst of Dublin.

Yeah, no doubt.
I specifically referred to the City
The like of Dorchester is grand for a look around too IMO. The worst of Dublin doesn't register to sketchy parts of the States IMO.

rossie1977

ThomasFlynn wrote: »

It's worth pointing out though that it was Obama who made 99% of the Bush tax cuts permanent.

Obama extended the Bush tax cuts because the economy was tanking and losing 800,000 jobs a month so raising taxes then would have sent economy into a spiral it probably wouldn't have escaped from.

Obama and bill Clinton certainly deserve criticism for their corporate conservative fiscal policies yes but Reagan, Bush Jr were a disaster for the middle class and by the looks of it Trump is following in their footsteps.

Ultros

rossie1977 wrote: »

Obama and bill Clinton certainly deserve criticism for their corporate conservative fiscal policies yes but Reagan, Bush Jr were a disaster for the middle class and by the looks of it Trump is following in their footsteps.

Record unemployment rates across the board and nearly 4 million people lifted off food stamps. Business and consumer optimism at all time highs.

Cina

Ultros wrote: »

Record unemployment rates across the board and nearly 4 million people lifted off food stamps. Business and consumer optimism at all time highs.

And you think that's due to Trump?

All of things were already true before he took over.

SharpshooterTom

rossie1977 wrote: »

Obama extended the Bush tax cuts because the economy was tanking and losing 800,000 jobs a month so raising taxes then would have sent economy into a spiral it probably wouldn't have escaped from.

The Bush tax cuts expired at the end of 2010, 2 years into Obama's presidency. They weren't losing 800,000 jobs by then.

He did it because the Washington 'consensus' is bipartisanship is a good thing, regardless of what the deal actually is, and Obama spent lot of his early years reaching out to Republicans, caving into things he shouldn't of done to get on their good side.

CelticRambler

AllForIt wrote: »

I always shut out those kinds of thoughts when on hols no matter where the destination. All cities have a bad side to one degree or another.

And I never heard anyone say they hate NY, not Manhattan anyway.

Wouldn't say I "hate" Manhattan, but it was definitely the biggest disappointment on a 5-week tour of the US I did last year. All hype and no substance. That goes for most of the US, but all the other places I visited had at least something remarkable (not necessarily in a good way! :pac: ) NY was boringly ordinary in just about every respect.

My lasting memory of the trip, though, was the state of the place and the all-pervasive stink - a mixture of "pee, poo & pot" as one local expressed it. The world's largest halting site.

TeaBagMania

Cina wrote: »

And you think that's due to Trump?

All of things were already true before he took over.

yeah thats total bulls**t

odumbazz = worst president ever, didnt do jack except make our health insurance premiums skyrocket so the low life bums could have free healthcare on the dime of the middle class

kneemos

Ultros wrote: »

Record unemployment rates across the board and nearly 4 million people lifted off food stamps. Business and consumer optimism at all time highs.

An upturn cycle. Probably little or nothing to do with any Government.

The Republicans however have a history of borrowing to beat the band and leaving the mess for the Democrats.

kneemos

TeaBagMania wrote: »

yeah thats total bulls**t

odumbazz = worst president ever, didnt do jack except make our health insurance premiums skyrocket so the low life bums could have free healthcare on the dime of the middle class

This is what's wrong with the good old home of the free.

TeaBagMania

kneemos wrote: »

The Republicans however have a history of borrowing to beat the band and leaving the mess for the Democrats.

you must live in fantasy land

scroll half way down the page to the odumbazz section

https://www.thebalance.com/us-debt-by-president-by-dollar-and-percent-3306296

rossie1977

Ultros wrote: »

Record unemployment rates across the board and nearly 4 million people lifted off food stamps. Business and consumer optimism at all time highs.

He can thank Obama for that. 75 months of consecutive job growth and unemployment going from over 10% to 4.7% under his watch.

Bush Jr reaped the benefits of Clinton's economy between 2001-04 too and Republicans onoine such as yourself were calling him a miracle worker at the time..then the bottom completely fell.

Fact is under Trump national debt has risen to over $22 trillion, the deficit has seen huge rise and the trade deficit hits it's highest point in history despite Trump's trade war. With massive falls in corporation tax the us economy is now hoping the middle class will fund it..a middle class we have already stated is being eroded daily

Shpongler

RasTa wrote: »

Obviously never been to hastings in Vancouver

Have you been to Brighton or Eastbourne?

TeaBagMania

rossie1977 wrote: »

He can thank Obama for that.

:pac: LOL yeah right

rob316

A 1 bedroom apartment in downtown SF costs $3500 to $4000 a month.

rossie1977

TeaBagMania wrote: »

yeah thats total bulls**t

odumbazz = worst president ever, didnt do jack except make our health insurance premiums skyrocket so the low life bums could have free healthcare on the dime of the middle class

The us is the only developed nation on Earth without some form of universal health care and they spend more public money on healthcare than every other nation per capita except Norway.

Trump gave billions in tax breaks to himself and his friends so i guess you are ok with that? Amazon generated $11.2 billion in profit in 2018 and the us taxpayer paid them $129 million in tax rebate...if you want to know what wrong with America that there sums it up

SharpshooterTom

TeaBagMania wrote: »

:pac: LOL yeah right

I personally don't think Obama or Trump either have much to do with the current economy.

Sure Obama slapped a $787 billion stimulus package that helped save the auto industry, and helped rescue the economy at the time, but since 2010/2011, the economy has been on autopilot effectively, and neither are responsible for the current climate.

Presidents are given too much credit for the economy sometimes.

Ultros

rossie1977 wrote: »

He can thank Obama for that.

I suppose any economic positive is because of Obama. I'm not a Republican either, if the Dem's got away from identity politics pitting everyone's group identity against each other, extremists like Cortez and the crazy gender / Marxist college campus stuff I probably would have voted someone like Biden over Trump. Trump wasn't voted in to be diplomatic, he's there to throw haymakers.