San Francisco’s downtown drug users, traffickers, and homeless vanished this week as the city prepared for a major international event.
According to two senior officials in the Biden administration, Vice President Biden and Chinese President Xi will finally meet on Wednesday during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit. (Source: New York Post)
APEC – Major International Event in San Francisco
Sources tell The Post that the homeless have been moved to other sections of the city in preparation for the APEC conference, which begins tomorrow and runs through Nov. 17. As drug overdoses continue in the city, residents and business owners say city officials’ attempts to “herd” transients and drug users are simply a “Band-Aid” to a serious problem. The city targeted seven crossroads in the Tenderloin and South of Market (SoMa) neighborhoods, where drug-addicted people high on fentanyl and heroin pass out on the streets daily. Ricci Lee Wynne, a resident of SoMa as well as a community organizer, mentioned to The Post that they started taking down the tents early this week and that there is a significantly increased police presence.
President Joe Biden will meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping at APEC, announced Friday. City by the Bay is planned to host over 20,000 tourists. The city has cleared the open drug market in other sites, including the Nancy Pelosi federal facility on Mission and 7th streets, in preparation. Federal employees were told to work from home in August because it was too risky to enter the building, where dozens of addicts gathered on the concrete steps and seating areas outside the gates. This week, the area was gated off, and drug dealers and addicts moved on to other parts of Downtown San Francisco, allowing employees to return securely. McDaniel’s boss, DiJaida Durden, asked about new encampments near the conference location. “Are any of these locations on schedule?” Durden said.
The Chronicle said that homeless tents were removed from Van Ness Avenue and California Street, Hyde and Eddy Streets, and Taylor and Ellis Streets by Wednesday. Fentanyl overdoses are a major issue in San Francisco. According to Office of the Chief Medical Examiner data released this month, the city is on course to hit 800 fatal overdoses this year, a record. According to statements made by Hillary Kunins, Director of San Francisco Behavioral Health Services, to KRON one month ago, there have been a total of 620 deaths caused by overdoses from January through September, which covers the first nine months of 2023. Kunis claimed there are two death overdoses per day, most of which are fentanyl-related. The city added 300 shelter beds, but it is unknown how many will be accessible for APEC. “The daily allotment will vary throughout the conference,” said Emily Cohen, homelessness department spokesperson. But we are making every effort to increase shelter capacity across our portfolio for the community during APEC and beyond.”
