Homelessness and street conditions getting worse, San Francisco Chamber poll says

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- San Francisco's Chamber of Commerce released its annual CityBeat Poll that asked voters, what are the city's toughest challenges?

This year's poll was focused on measuring how residents feel regarding homelessness, street conditions, and public safety. Homelessness and street conditions were the top issues facing San Francisco.

RELATED: San Francisco streets get 'deep-clean' in effort to improve city, boost business

ABC7 News reporter Lauren Martinez walked around Hayes Valley with the policy director, Jay Cheng. He talked about the annual CityBeat Breakfast where they presented poll results to the public, business owners and Mayor London Breed.

During the presentation, the Chamber used the tagline 'Wake up San Francisco.'

"There's a double meaning around it. Part of was it's a really early event. The second part is, it's about taking action," Cheng said.

"You know what the poll showed that San Franciscans are deeply frustrated. And they're deeply frustrated around a couple specific issues. One of them is really homelessness and the second one is the cleanliness and conditions of our streets. Over 70% of San Franciscans said that homelessness and street behavior has gotten significantly worse in the past year. That's a lot of people to say such a strong statement. Over 50% of San Franciscans said that street cleanliness has gotten worse in the past year," Cheng said.

Cheng said homelessness and street conditions have gone from something that was a social issue and a humanitarian issue to a business issue.

"One of the things the Chamber is pushing for is big belly trash cans to help make sure the trash on the street is captured. That we have enough public trash cans so that no one is just littering on the street. That we are instituting poop patrols and resourcing public works to make sure we can clean the poop off the street so people don't have to step on it while they're trying to have a shopping experience," Cheng said.

In December ABC7 News talked with Cheng regarding Oracle pulling out of holding their Oracle open World Convention at the Moscone Center, costing the city an estimated $64 million a year.

RELATED: Oracle moving its annual OpenWorld conference from San Francisco to Las Vegas

"Well you know, Macy's.com just laid off 800 workers in San Francisco and said they're going to continue growth in other cities. And so if we don't improve street conditions in San Francisco. If we don't improve the environment for people to do business or even just to live in San Francisco- we're going to see more business opportunity leave the city," Cheng said.

Right now the Chamber has launched a campaign called 'Clean Safe 365.' It's an online petition that residents can call or sign that will urge the board of supervisors to make street safety, street cleanliness and homelessness the city's top priorities.