A discarded couch rests like a parked car in San Francisco’s Tenderloin District.
Photos by Luke Thomas
By Luke Thomas
August 2, 2009
The move was only supposed to be temporary, but here I am, three years hence and still living in San Francisco’s Tenderloin District. One of these days, I keep telling myself…
It took some getting used to after living a few oars lengths away from the Marina on the north side of town, but the TL’s central location, despite all the unpleasantness associated with human suffering, provides close proximity to BART, MUNI, downtown, Union Square, Civic Center and City Hall – the place I spend much of my time covering San Francisco politics for FCJ. Living here also means I don’t need a car and I’m free of all the associated problems and responsibilities with car ownership. My 1993 vintage bicycle does me fine and I enjoy the exercise.
So, today, while I was rummaging through some unopened moving boxes, I stumbled upon an old 50mm lens a friend gave me when I announced I was changing careers back in 2003. With some excitement, I went on a short stroll to get some lunch, and took a few shots along the way using my new found lens.
A fellow Tenderloinian steps over a presumed past-out drunk,
lain strewn across the sidewalk.
A Muslim place of worship on Golden Gate Avenue
had its door window smashed some time ago.
Artist Mona Caron puts on the final touches
to her mural masterpiece on the corner
of Golden Gate Ave and Jones.
Luke Thomas
Luke Thomas is a former software developer and computer consultant who proudly hails from London, England. In 2001, Thomas took a yearlong sabbatical to travel and develop a photographic portfolio. Upon his return to the US, Thomas studied photojournalism to pursue a career in journalism. In 2004, Thomas worked for several neighborhood newspapers in San Francisco before accepting a partnership agreement with the SanFranciscoSentinel.com, a news website formerly covering local, state and national politics. In September 2006, Thomas launched FogCityJournal.com. The BBC, CNN, ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox News, New York Times, Der Spiegel, San Francisco Chronicle, San Francisco Magazine, 7x7, San Francisco Examiner, San Francisco Bay Guardian and the San Francisco Weekly, among other publications and news outlets, have published his work. Thomas is a member of the Freelance Unit of the Pacific Media Workers Guild, TNG-CWA Local 39521 and is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists.
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August 3, 2009 at 3:40 pm
These are just plain great photos. Please, more Tenderloin photo essays while it’s still your neighborhood. And no, I don’t have the cojones to live in that neighborhood anymore. It would drive me insane pretty fast.
August 3, 2009 at 9:54 am
Shmooth,
I’ve lived here most of the last 30 years and the City could have cleaned the TL up anytime. The poorest stay here for access to services. Willie could have moved the Soup Kitchens (call em what they are) to the chow halls on Treasure Island and put me and my cronies in military barracks but he chose to keep hundreds of people sleeping and drunk around St. Anthony’s (great organization) and Glide (also great ).
Willie didn’t do it as Gavin hasn’t because their developer pals (control of development is in hands of Gavin’s ’03 top fundraiser, Darius Anderson who never built a tree house before). Because the developers wanted the Presidio and TI for market rate projects.
The Tenderloin’s biggest obstacle to de-Hellification is it’s biggest landlord, Walter Shorenstein. Long as he keeps it blighted, better chance of bringing in Redevelopment Agency and get every break possible when HE decides to start building. The people who sleep on the street alongside Shorenstein’s Golden Gate Theatre for example, are sleeping against the storefronts of cute little boutique businesses that Walter closed.
Keep the pics coming Luke. I’ll keep commenting. Only Randy Shaw has made the Shorenstein connection amongst the rest of the media and he only outed Walter cause the old man’s interests in the long run would hurt Randy’s own THC. The cops cooperate with keeping the neighborhood a cesspool by herding the drug dealers, drunks and street addicts and prostitutes into what they call ‘containment zones’ where they can keep an eye on them. Like, under my window. I’m wondering what our new Police Chief (I’m gonna call him ‘Zorro’ cause he looks like some kind of Castillian sword fighter … wondering what George will think of our ‘containment zones’.
You’re right, Shmooth. If you’ve got the cajones, this neighborhood truly rocks.
h.
August 3, 2009 at 9:47 am
3 years and still unopened moving boxes???
Glad you found this lens; it gives the images a more gritty feel and the black and white is always more stark than color.
How about some more photo essays soon?
August 2, 2009 at 9:47 pm
now that TL is up and coming, maybe no reason to leave. my roomy and i always thought it was a great place to live, for all the reasons you stated. easy access to everything, bike everywhere, etc.
of course, that’s part of why it’s gentrifying.
August 2, 2009 at 9:28 pm
Hey Ruth,
Speaking of pictures. When Arthur’s not looking. Send us a picture of yourself. We’re all dying to know what you look like. If Arthur would sit next to you that would be nice too.
h.
August 2, 2009 at 6:16 pm
Arthur, your Daly-centric comments are as predictable as ever.
August 2, 2009 at 5:33 pm
Luke,
Your pics of the Tenderloin are compelling, as always.
Will you be traveling to Fairfield, to send us some pics of Chris Daly’s new neighborhood?