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Is this a bad area of San Francisco(western addition/tenderloin)?

Is this a bad area of San Francisco(western addition/tenderloin)?

Old Sep 26th, 2011, 06:12 PM
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Is this a bad area of San Francisco(western addition/tenderloin)?

Trying to find housing, and a place we are looking at is located on Post Street, located between Gough and Webster Street. It's also one street above Geary Blvd.. It seems like it may be in the Western Addition neighborhood, or bordering the Tenderloin district. Is it a safe area? Thanks!
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Old Sep 26th, 2011, 06:20 PM
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Try using Google Maps Street View to have a look around the neighborhood. I think you can tell a lot that way and you'll probably know if you'll be comfortable there. It's a tool I use a lot when I'm choosing accommodations.
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Old Sep 26th, 2011, 07:23 PM
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That's Japantown, not the Western Addition and certainly not the Tenderloin. It is not unsafe.
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Old Sep 26th, 2011, 07:30 PM
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Beat me to it!
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Old Sep 26th, 2011, 07:34 PM
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And me too

Fine area
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Old Sep 26th, 2011, 07:38 PM
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Meant to add . . . Unfortunately this is a case where google street view doesn't really answer your questions because the 'look' of a place won't tell you the safety.
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Old Sep 26th, 2011, 08:32 PM
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Thanks for all the replies! I'm not sure if I'm just being paranoid, but it seems like there is so many places in San Francisco that seem fine, but when you go a few blocks away, you may be in a seedy area.

Janisj - you're right, I've done google maps on the address, but that doesn't tell you anything about safety.

So since it is in Japantown, it's not even bordering Western Addition?
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Old Sep 26th, 2011, 08:58 PM
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Yes it borders the Western Addition (other side of Geary) but the entire Western Addition is not unsafe. Yes, there are places that are not that great, especially, near Webster and Hayes especially if you are an African American male, but that is further south from your location.
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Old Sep 26th, 2011, 09:10 PM
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SAB,

I had read that Geary borders Western Addition, which made me feel a little nervous. How far south of Geary would you still consider safe?

We haven't been to San Francisco in over 10 years, and we are driving this time. If we take a wrong turn past Geary getting back to Post street, would that be dangerous?

Thanks!
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Old Sep 26th, 2011, 11:02 PM
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You'll be OK in that area. If you go several blocks further to the east, you'll be in the Tenderloin. If you go a bit to the West and South, you'll be in the Fillmore area, where, I believe, the blacks moved after they vacated Japantown.

It's been awhile since I've read any San Francisco history, but after the Japanese were moved out of Japantown during WWII, Japantown was taken over by the blacks who came to work here, especially for the US government.

After WWII, the Japanese gradually filtered back to Japantown while the blacks moved over to the Fillmore District. The Fillmore is San Francisco's jazz scene. If you like jazz, this will be very close to your new home.

Here's a very nice color map showing the Tenderloin area, bounded by Polk (W), Taylor (E), Market (S) and Geary (N).

http://wikitravel.org/en/Image:San_F...viccenter4.png

San Francisco's Theater District either abuts or is mostly in the Tenderloin, depending on whom you speak with. The Tenderloin is also ethnically most diverse area of San Francisco.

It's usually safe to just drive through. In fact, you have to pretty much drive through the Tenderloin all the time going E-W or N-S in the greater downtown area.

for the longest time, the Western Addition was nothing more than just a quiet residential area. Maybe someone with more recent history can tell you differently. But, again, I drive through there all the time and have never seen anything to fear in the Western Addition.
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Old Sep 27th, 2011, 10:33 AM
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easytraveler,

Thanks for the info and the map. I used google to go down some of the streets of Western Addition, and they actually seemed fine, but I am seeing it during the daytime when no one is around!
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Old Sep 27th, 2011, 11:14 AM
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That area around Japantown is nice, good restaurants, movie theater, some shopping.

Just don't go at night south of Geary by yourself.
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Old Sep 27th, 2011, 11:41 AM
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About the only place unsafe to drive in SF are parts of Hunter's Point --an area you will never visit. You will have no problem driving in the Western Addition, the Tenderloin or any other place. Actually the most unsafe place to drive IMHO is the Marina at closing time!!!
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Old Sep 27th, 2011, 11:44 AM
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Unsafe is a relative term. Whether you feel uncomfortable may be very different then if you're actually at risk.

Walking through the tenderloin area during daytime I've felt uncomfortable (I'm a country bumpkin, not a city slicker), but never unsafe. There are panhandlers, homeless people lining up for shelter, shops with varied clientelle, etc, but I've never been accosted, let alone threatened.

If you're moving to SF and looking for housing I think you ought to spend some time on the ground walking around at different times of day to better assess how you feel about a particular area. If you are used to city living then you'll likely not bat an eyelash. If you're not used to cities, then the heterogeneous population may take some getting used to.

You also ask about driving. I'd have no concern driving on just about any block in SF - you're in a car and you're passing through.
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Old Sep 27th, 2011, 11:49 AM
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Anna, you wouldn't find much going on in the Western Addition.

Right after WWII, the US Government tore down whole blocks of the Victorian homes in Japantown and nearby and built these really blah modern houses and high rises in the Western Addition. There's not much to see there, so there aren't the hoards of tourists like elsewhere in San Francisco, all gawking at the Victorians. It must be a real pain sometimes to live in Alamo Square, with all the tour buses, tour guides and groups and groups of tourists walking through daily.

The Western Addition, in contrast, doesn't have much going on. All you'll see are a handful of local residents coming and going, usually to shop in Japantown or in the Fillmore. The Japanese and the blacks have pretty much lived peacefully with each other, so you won't have race riots or police sirens. It's really one of the quietest parts of SF.

There are plenty of good restaurants in the current Japantown location and there's a great theater, the Sundance Kabuki Theater, with some of the most comfortable movie theater seating you'll ever find.

Let us know how you decide - if you will move into this neighborhood or not.
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Old Sep 27th, 2011, 12:27 PM
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Dayenu,

I'm assuming you mean I shouldn't be walking at night south of Geary?

SAB,

Thanks for the info about driving - that helps!

J62/easytraveler,

I'm not moving, just visiting. The only backdraw seems to be that we might have to walk a couple blocks to get to public transportation.
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Old Sep 27th, 2011, 01:06 PM
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Honestly, I think this particular poster may be happier in a different part of the city.
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Old Sep 27th, 2011, 01:12 PM
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I think you are right sf.

Are you going to the last game tomorrow? I'm trying to decide.
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Old Sep 27th, 2011, 01:29 PM
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Sorry I misunderstood when you said you were "looking for housing" I thought you wanted to move to this part of the city.

Certainly, if it's just for a visit, then sf and SAB are correct, most tourists find themselves in other parts of the city.

Unless you a hve a specific reason to be in this neighborhood (relatives, meeting, etc) you're better off in a more central part of the city.
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Old Sep 27th, 2011, 01:43 PM
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>>


I'm not. I've moved on to hockey
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