SAN FRANCISCO — Business owners in San Francisco's Tenderloin district say they've seen a recent drop in crime and are thankful for District Attorney Brooke Jenkins.
Shop owners like Jesus Cahuil say they've seen everything from people shooting up syringes in the bathroom to drug dealers sneaking inside their stores and trying to elude police.
“They come here to hide so they don't get arrested, and there's no way to tell them 'don't come in,' so they come here, wait for things to calm down and then leave again,” said Cahuil, owner of Los Yucatecos restaurant, which opened three years ago on Ellis Street.
But he said he's fortunate that he hasn't seen anything like this in at least a year.
“So you don't see those people anymore, so you realise something has changed,” Cauil added.
He's just one of many business owners and residents paying close attention to San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins' actions.
Jenkins on Wednesday released new data about his office's efforts to combat drug trafficking in the Tenderloin and South of Market districts.
“The amount of drug activity in the Tenderloin has dropped significantly. We still have a long way to go to restore the Tenderloin to what we want it to be. There are still problem areas, but we've seen a big change in the amount of activity during the day,” Jenkins said.
Jenkins said those efforts have led to an increase in convictions: There have been 128 drug-related felony convictions so far in 2024, 92% of which were felonies, up from just 20% when Jenkins first took office in 2022.
“We're here for a job, and that's to make sure our streets are safe and clean. And I want them to have fear of the consequences. In order to make the streets of San Francisco the place we want them to be, we have to have a healthy fear of the consequences. And that's another part of our commitment. We're not going to give out misdemeanors anymore. We believe in true accountability,” Jenkins emphasized.
That's exactly what Cauil wants to see continue. The Tenderloin's mixed living conditions mean fewer customers, he says: Now, he sees around 120 people, compared with at least 400 a day in the past.
“I love it here, there's great support and customers, but it can be a bit scary, especially at night,” Cauil explained.
Despite the difficulties, Kawil remains hopeful – he has no plans to go anywhere and believes things will get better as this is his home after all.
