Tourist guides describe Tenderloin as a famous area of San Francisco for its simple atmosphere, avant-garde art spaces, classic concert halls like the Great American Music Hall, and historic theaters hosting independent or Broadway shows. 

"Baghdad", "War zone", "Occupied territory"

But this neighborhood that stretches over ten blocks downtown along Market Street, the most dynamic and busy street in the city, lists also hundreds of homeless people installed on the sidewalks.  

                                                                                                                                                                                    A photo is sometimes worth a thousand words. The distraught look of this man painted on a wall in the heart of Tenderloin sums up the feelings of anger and desperation of the residents. On this Sunday morning of August, it is still possible to move on the sidewalk but in a few hours, locals and tourists will have to walk on the street or cross the homeless encampments. Marie Le Blé / The Daily View.

"Baghdad", "War zone", "Occupied territory"... Nicknames flourish to portray the hell that residents face night and day by the presence of men and women for the most part under the influence of drugs and alcohol, disconnected from the environment around them and totally abandonned to themselves.

$300 million spend annualy

The cohabitation and the everyday life are so rough that some locals who feel taken hostage have even recently laid boulders on their steps to prevent the homeless from settling. Boulders that have been removed since.

Residents in San Francisco have placed boulders on sidewalks 2 deter homeless people.

The rocks are a frustrating attempt 2 do what police & City Hall haven't: keep drug users from turning their streets into a shooting up gallery.

"They shoot up & stay overnight" say neighbors. pic.twitter.com/QypoWziqsx

— Kal 🇺🇸⭐⭐💫⭐⭐✝️ (@RightWingLawMan) September 24, 2019

Despite spending more than $300 million annually on homelessness, the Golden Gate City has more than 9,700 persons occupying the streets including those living in a car. The number rised by 30% since 2017.

Grime, urine, human feces, syringes   On this Sunday morning, only a few scattered shouts echo on the bitumen between Turk and MacAllister St. Sidewalks are still battered by the turmoil of the night before.  

Residents and visitors are exposed to finding needles everywhere. Last year, San Francisco distributed 400,000 syringes for drug users which means 4.8 million annually. Opponents of this policy denounce the fact that plastic straws are illegal but syringes for drug use are free. Scott K. / Courtesy

Because very soon, human waves composed of helpless people for many dressed in rags, skin covered with brown dust, will be back again to invade the sidewalks. It's like a remake of The Night of the Living Dead movie playing but this time for real. 

St. Boniface Catholic Church in San Francisco's Tenderloin lets homeless people sleep in its pews — no questions asked.https://t.co/nP9GIaNTJk pic.twitter.com/VpUKRu1cAH

— California Sun (@mmcphate) October 28, 2019

It is before 9 AM when Mickael a resident goes back to his apartment on MacAllister St. Walking like always in a hurry, he does not pay attention to the man lying near by the front door of his building. This inhabitant is too accustomed to the aweful show he attends every single day since he returned his hometown after several years spend in Europe. 

There’s an obvious Homeless Crisis in San Francisco, and Mayor London Breed said she is pulling out of negotiations with the Supervisors Hillary Ronen and Matt Haney over their sweeping proposal to overhaul the city’s mental health care system. pic.twitter.com/Pi4cJZx34T

— Eye in☀️the Sky🕗 (@irrepressably) September 26, 2019

Another morning on Natoma 8-9th. @LondonBreed This is unacceptable on all levels.

San Francisco deserves better. pic.twitter.com/h1x3tDQTJp

— CleanUpSoMaWest (@CleanUpWestSoma) July 23, 2019

Photos: picjumbo.com from Pexels