EXCLUSIVE: SF residents spent over $800K on private guards, blame city for worsening conditions

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- A group of San Francisco residents is paying for private security guards to keep their streets safe.

They are citing a correlation between worsening street conditions and a "concentration" of city services in their district.

For the last 12 months, residents in San Francisco's South of Market neighborhood have had a direct line to a team of private security guards.

"We do heavy patrols here every hour," said Jesus Jamaica, a security guard with the CBD.

The guards cover 109 blocks of this neighborhood 24/7.

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"We focus on the homeless issues that are in the area and the SoMa district. We patrol around the area on bicycles and vehicles at night. If there is anybody on the sidewalk, doorways, blocking garage-ways or just mainly blocking the sidewalk where people can't walk through. We walk up to them and address it. We ask them if they can relocate," said Erin Kametani, Aspis Solutions contracted by the CBD.

These guards are deployed out of the SoMa West Community Benefit District. The private nonprofit is funded by local property owners.

"We have spent $820K in the last 12 months," said Alex Ludlum, Executive Director for the SoMa West Community Benefit District.

The main job of the SoMa Benefit District is to keep the neighborhood clean, not necessarily to hire private security, but residents felt like they had no other choice.

"We need more security because of the population of street addicts and the reason they are here is because the city has concentrated all the facilities and services that enable their lifestyle in this area," said Ludlum.

At the CBD's office, they have a bird's eye view of the conditions on the streets. They created a map showing all the city services and their exact locations.

"This is a visualization of where supportive services are in San Francisco. And as you can see, they're all right here," said Ludlum. "The city is designing, pockets of poverty, and they're putting it here."

The CBD is also attributing an increase in trash pick-up to the conditions on the streets.

"I come to work, and I don't know what I'm going to find," said Woodrow Blake, SoMa West Community Benefit District Operation Manager.

"Our organization picks up 700,000 pounds of trash a year because addicts empty trash cans all over the streets. 700,000 pounds of trash is not litter," said Ludlum.

The residents we spoke to said the guards are needed.

"This was blow torched, this was hacksaw. We've gone and we've had to replace our door, inside. That was busted down," said Fernando Senegal, Soma Resident.

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Reese Isbell said his neighbors have felt trapped in the past with open drug markets outside their front door.

"Frankly, our building calls the CBD for safety patrols now instead of the police, because we'll get a response within in a timely manner and they will help out," said Isbell.

Supervisor Matt Dorsey represents this district and talked about why so many resources are in SoMa.

"This is something that has gone on for decades. The 6th Street corridor in particular, has a lot of permanent supportive housing. From my perspective, we do have a lot of city services that we provide around the Civic Center and Mid-Market area. A lot of that is in South of Market just because of it's on a transit corridor," said Supervisor Dorsey.

The ABC7 News data team looked into crime data and found violent crimes like murder, robberies, and assaults have dropped in the Southern district by 10.3% over the last 12 months when compared to the three-year average.

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And when asked if crime was down in SoMa because of SFPD or because of private security, Supervisor Dorsey said it "might be both."

Earlier this year, San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie unveiled a new plan to tackle the city's drug crisis: a law enforcement sobering center to get people who are doing drugs off the streets and into treatment. That center will also be in this district.

Luz Pena: "They are concerned. They feel like the city's pushing everything there."
Mayor Lurie: "Yeah, I'm concerned as well. We're trying to address the problem. This new center is all about making sure our streets are safe and that they are clean."
Luz Pena: "They're having to pay for their own security to keep those sidewalks clean."
Mayor Lurie: "Yeah. Many CBD's are working around the city to do that, and that's why we continue to partner with them with DPW. But also, I want to increase the number of police officers walking the vehicle, keeping our streets safe."

In a statement, the city's homelessness and supportive housing department said:

"Given HSH's recent investment in new recovery-focused shelter, youth housing and family housing in the SOMA West neighborhood, we have also increased funding to the SOMA West CBD to expand their ambassador, public safety, and cleaning services in the neighborhood."

The SoMa Benefit District confirmed the city granted them $600K out of the $850K spent this year. Despite that, residents here want the city to equitably distribute services throughout the city and give Soma a break.

"When is it going to stop? You know, being at our expense. Why?" said Senegal. "I like to say that compassion cost and it's we're running out of money."