The Mission Street corridor, particularly on the west side from 14th to 16th streets, has become increasingly overwhelmed by trash, as numerous unpermitted vendors crowd the area during weekends and weekdays alike.
This situation not only contributes to unsightly littering but also places an immense strain on local businesses and non-profits.
Currently, La Fenix, a housing development located at 1950 Mission St., is the only establishment in the vicinity that has a dumpster in front of it.
Shockingly, there are no public or private trash bins on this block, which exacerbates the mess left behind each week.
Additionally, San Francisco Public Works is reportedly absent from sending street sweepers to the area on Sunday nights or Monday mornings, allowing debris to accumulate.
Paul O’Driscoll, who has owned an apartment building at 15th and Mission for over 22 years, expressed his frustrations about the challenging conditions.
He mentioned that the litter situation was so severe one Monday that his wife decided to document the mess via video, only to be mugged while doing so.
O’Driscoll acknowledged that Public Works did respond after receiving the video, however, their absence on Mondays remains an ongoing concern, particularly after heavy vendor activity on Sundays.
In a surprising interaction, Mayor Daniel Lurie visited the area last week, yet O’Driscoll did not manage to discuss his query regarding the lack of Monday street cleaning.
Gordon Rachel, the communications director for the Department of Public Works, stated that sweepers do work on Mondays; however, it remains unclear why the streets frequently appear uncleaned following busy weekends.
An executive from Mission Housing, which developed La Fenix, Sam Moss, noted, “We don’t control the state of the street. We have no jurisdiction on public ground. We’ve been begging, and we are getting help, but there is a long way to go.”
Adding to the dilemma, the absence of trash cans in the block stretching from the northwest corner of 15th to 16th Street, around to Julian Avenue, has left residents wondering if providing bins could mitigate the issue.
Interestingly, there was once a trash bin located at the northwest corner near the 16th Street BART Station, but it was removed due to consistent vandalism and illegal dumping, according to Gordon from Public Works.
Previously, after drawing attention to the lack of trash cans at the northeast 16th Street Plaza, Public Works installed two bins in the area.
In other developments related to the ongoing cleanup, three BART staff members were spotted clearing out furniture and other debris from the northeast plaza, including an oversized reclining chair left there within the last day.
Meanwhile, outreach workers from the Gubbio Project were observed on Julian Avenue, engaging with individuals and advocating for the Good Neighbor Policy that discourages overt drug use.
As part of a new initiative to deter weekend vending activity, DPW has collaborated with the SFPD to establish barriers along the west side of Mission Street, south of 15th Street.
The combination of growing vendor presence, absence of trash bins, and the inconsistent street cleaning efforts leaves the Mission Street area at a critical juncture.
The community remains hopeful that these efforts will soon lead to improved conditions and a cleaner environment for all who frequent this bustling commercial corridor.
image source from：https://missionlocal.org/2025/06/day-86-at-the-16th-st-plaza-no-trash-cans-trash-on-the-street/
