Marina residents at a meeting in March voiced strong worries about an expansion in property crime, homelessness, and even home invasions. Though violent crime is down by about 25 percent over the past year in District 2, property crimes have increased, and the police are still facing staffing issues that hamper their ability to deal with the problems.
About 300 people attended the March 24 town hall at the Golden Gate Yacht Club, which also included District 2 Supervisor Mark Farrell and Northern Station Captain Greg McEachern. Farrell said he hosted the meeting as a result of neighbors contacting his office “to express concerns and frustrations about an increased level of crime in our neighborhoods.”
One of the significant focuses of the crowd’s concern was the local Safeway; one participant in the event said that Safeway had lost its community affairs person; the Marina Community Association had contacted the supermarket, but attendees expressed concern that the store was a point of concentration for crime. Supervisor Farrell said he would contact Safeway to follow up.
Other areas of concern include burglaries at construction sites, an increase in shoplifting, and an unsettling occurrence of home invasions (including people tied to their chairs in a home on Buchanan).
Look for updates in future issues of the Marina Times.
