Day 82 at the 16th St. Plaza Pipes, vending, and overt drug use

The northeast plaza of BART in San Francisco has deteriorated into a space for open drug use and encampments, starkly contrasting with the cleaner southwest plaza, which benefits from a police mobile unit. A man in a black hoodie, surrounded by others using glass pipes, remarked that this area serves as their home. Mayor Daniel Lurie's initiative to clean the area after 82 days has shown limited effectiveness, especially in the northeast plaza, where drug activities continue unabated. Local storekeepers observe that while police visits are more frequent, drug-related activities quickly resume once officers depart. The presence of an abandoned Walgreens nearby complicates efforts to control the situation.

Vending activity increases throughout the day, with vendors selling various goods, but by evening, the plaza becomes primarily associated with drug use. This ongoing issue raises questions about the city's strategies for tackling homelessness and drug use in public spaces. The situation underscores a broader challenge in urban management and public safety.