One way to improve Spofford Alley would be to remove all the stupid concrete obstacles (planters and round blocks) that some dogoodniks littered along the entire length of the block. In fact, most of the concrete sitting blocks in Chinatown alleys are an utter waste of space and uncomfortable, as well as rather remarkably ugly.
Pigeons dump on them in any case.
No one wants to sit there.
Put in some real benches, for heavens sake, and if you're worried about bums sleeping there make them divided seating so no one can lie down.
Entirely aside from which, bums already sleep in Chinatown. There is an entire colony of them in Hang Ah, right next to the Willie Woo Woo Wong Playground. As well as half a dozen dossed down in the entry way to Chong Kee Jan on Walter Lum, facing Portsmouth Square. Which, by the way, has several seriously disturbed people infesting the shrubbery at all hours. They dominate when the gamblers leave for the night.
I suppose having homeless people sleep outdoors in Chinatown, even if the vast majority of those that actually do so aren't Chinese but white and black crazies, is a convenience for everyone in San Francisco. Because they aren't bothering any of the folks in the shopping areas downtown when they're there, nor befouling doorways in the Financial District.
They are entirely out of sight, and out of mind.
And really, who is complaining?
My favourite alleys are Hang Ah, because during the daytime it is quiet and not particularly skeevy; Spofford and Ross, which are both mixed residential and commercial, plus Wentworth and Becket below Grant Avenue. But absolutely the nicest alleys are Trenton between Jackson and Pacific, and Commercial from Grant down to Leidesdorff.
I note that there are very nice benches on Commercial between Kearny and Sansome, after one enters the Financial District. Obviously, pudgy office workers need to sit down far more than fragile elderly Chinese, even if the only time that they will do so outdoors is during lunch.
You know, real benches in many of the Chinatown alleyways would be very nice. It would allow seniors to spend more time outdoors, and the neighborhood would become so much brighter and more livable.
Yes, I know. Lots of benches in Portsmouth Square.
Did I already mention the disturbed people?
And smoking is not allowed in parks.
Many elderly men smoke.
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Well, most of the bums are gone. But there are still too many crazies.
San Francisco is weirder than it was when you penned this two years ago. And the housing is worse.
"most of the bums are gone"
Most of the bums you spoke of in the alleyways, that is. There are more of them everywhere else.
And unless you live there, some of those alleys you shouldn't walk down at night.
Not so much the risk, as the oddities gibbering in the doorways.
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