San Francisco's controversial Tenderloin Center, an open-air drug market that cost $22 million to operate, has closed less than a year after opening. The site, opened by Mayor London Breed as a response to the city's drug crisis, was intended to provide addiction services but was widely used as a place for drug users to consume substances without fear of robbery.
During its first four months, the centre welcomed over 23,000 visitors but referred only 18 people to behavioural health programmes, representing less than one per cent of visits. Despite its high cost, the centre reversed more than 350 overdoses and provided daily assistance to around 400 individuals, many of whom sought shelter or food rather than treatment.
The closure comes amid ongoing overdose deaths in San Francisco, with over 500 fatalities recorded in 2022, compared to 641 in 2021. City officials, including Mayor Breed, have described the centre as a temporary solution. Dr Hillary Kunins of the San Francisco Department of Public Health cited the end of a $75,000-a-month lease as a key reason for the closure.
Reactions to the shutdown have been mixed. Some residents and politicians, such as city supervisor Dean Preston, have criticised the decision, arguing that hundreds relied on the service. Others have welcomed the closure, viewing it as a waste of taxpayer money. No plans for a similar site have been announced.
