16th street, what happened?

I’ve lived in the mission for nearly a decade. It’s never been clean, quiet, or peaceful. I love the energy and diversity. It’s vibrant. We have the best food and drink in the best food city in the country. I appreciate the coffee ladies in the morning and the hot dog men in the evening. Even the sidewalk vendors, though I question where they get their goods.

But in the last few months things changed. I see fentanyl zombies hunched over, lurching around like mindless husks. There is an actual dumpster in front of the abandoned Taqueria Los Coyotes, at 16th and Weise, just there to deposit the garbage that constantly accumulates from the lost souls who took over that alley.

I’m not apathetic. These people are suffering, clearly, and need help. Shuttling them from 6th street to 16th doesn’t make anyone’s lives better.

Can a politician or civic leader weigh in here? Manny’s they are at your doorstep.