Happened on 7/20 around 6 am.

walking around stealing packages.

I have the footage in video. Reported to SLPD.

I own a very small business downtown and have owned it for nearly a decade. We’ve always had issues with homeless folks in the area.

Over the last year it has gotten extreme. Once a week, like clockwork, the same woman would come at 3-4am to the little hidden corner behind our shop, break into our (and our neighbors) locked trash bins, dump EVERYTHING out, take a shit on the cement, and leave everything there.

Finally, our landlord had enough and had an iron gate installed to protect the back entrances to the businesses and to keep the trash bins behind. Not two days after it was installed, the same lady stole a neighbors trash bin, rolled it up to the gate, and used it to hop over the gate, dumped out all the trash, and took a shit again.

The landlord then had the gate company install sharp metal spikes on top of the gate. Now, just a few days ago, the same lady attempted to put cardboard on the spikes to hop the gate, realized it wouldn’t work, then pulled a tool out of her backpack, cut a hole in the gate to allow her to enter, dumped out all the trash, and took another shit.

We had the police come by, gave them the camera footage, but this lady clearly knows what she’s doing and made sure her face was turned out of sight of the cameras at all times. The police said unless they catch her in the act they can’t really do anything. That is encouraging. So basically that tells me if I ever want any free stuff in San Leandro, as long as I’m sneaky enough to not get caught in the act, I can just go do and take whatever I want.
Not only that but the benches between Tapioca Express and Los Pericos #5 has essentially become San Leandro’s skid row. We constantly see multiple homeless people sitting there drinking alcohol, smoking meth, shouting threats at innocent passerby’s, I even saw one setting stuff on fire. That whole area now smells like a BART elevator (basically like layers and layers and layers of dehydrated persons urine stained into the concrete).

It’s getting to the point where customers are getting more concerned about coming to do business here, us businesses are feeling helpless about our property and our environment deteriorating before our very eyes, and the authorities unable to do anything that helps long term makes it seem like it’s only going to get worse.

I 100% understand these are human beings that are victims of the housing crisis, drug addiction, and untreated mental health issues. But that doesn’t mean we should just look the other way and accept their behavior that is constantly deteriorating the downtown area and fucking things up for us small businesses.

Something needs to be done. I honestly have no idea what that something is but for christs sake, turning a blind eye and looking the other way is doing nothing but enabling this to continue further.
I’ve been here for over 40 years. I’m well aware San Leandro has always had issues with homeless. But over these 4 decades I have seen downtown change quite a bit, some things good, but a LOT more things bad. And a lot seems to be at the hands of the homeless population and the idiots in city hall who are too busy dealing with their corruption and scandals (that the taxpayers foot the bill for) than doing anything that warrants their enormous salary raises.

What needs to be done to end this? Because it’s only a matter of time before all the small business in the area that help make up the cultural fabric of San Leandro throw their hands up and leave to greener pastures and San Leandro will be left with vacant buildings or filled with soulless corporate carbon copies of every other city.

My wife is Viet and most of our friends in SL are other Vietnamese who recently moved to town.

What do people think are the best Vietnamese restaurants?

So far, my wife likes best:
Pho an hoa
Saigon yum

Any thoughts on this apartment complex/experiences

Sup guys, I recently asked what areas you guys said are rougher or would avoid. Went to SL this weekend and honestly fell in love with the city. Quiet, fairly clean, and easy to get around. Had a good time at Tip Top Tavern.

Hard part now is finding a place, I would like to go with a actual renter not a property, but if thats the way I have to go, I will. Townhomes or homes are a preference. If anyone in the area can hook me up with a phone number or getting in contact with someone they know might be renting something similar. Can provide lots of proof. Hit me up and lets see how we can connect, thank you for your help. My fiance will make you a box of cookies. Thanks people of SL.

Hey, I'm doing another board game night this Wednesday (7/22) at Fieldwork Brewing.

I'm going arrive by 6:30. I try to get a table in the patio area towards the back.

I'll be bringing Compania, High Society, Azul: Stained Glass of Sintra and a few others. Feel free to bring a game!

Does anyone know what's going on with the traffic light being out? It's been almost a week now, it's crazy to me that they don't have it working yet

I received a jury summons for someone who does not live at my address and I don't have a forwarding. I wrote on it "return to sender" and stuck it in the mail slot poking out so the postman could see the "return". None of them has taken it for 3 days so I'm going to put it in the proper mailbox. But all the places I've lived around the Bay Area, postmen have always taken mail. Is this a general policy change I'm not aware of, or a San Leandro thing?

I need to do service on my BMW motorcycle. Everyone's giving me quotes that, when I inquire about the cost of labor, comes out to about $230/h (aside from parts). I think that's ridiculous.

Does anyone have pointers of good BMW motorcycle service shops in the East Bay (or anywhere within reasonable distance from SL) that don't charge an arm and a leg?

I am looking for a wework style private coworking space (where I can safely leave my laptop on the table while I’m in the toilet) Searching is bringing up a lot of websites claiming to have coworking spaces in San Leandro but I can’t confirm that any of them exist on yelp or google maps. Are there actually any coworking spaces in San Leandro or do I have to go to Oakland for that?

sup guys, just got a job opportunity to work out in Dublin. always visited the bay, never lived here. didn’t realize that inland area would be hella expensive. I’m coming from Bakersfield so it would def be a difference in a lot of things. but I’m looking into the hayward/San Leandro area, any areas that are avoidable or areas that are just places I shouldn’t go to. not saying I live in a fucking fancy shmancy over here by no means. but you always wanna be sure of what areas are good and not good. also any recs on places that allow pets?

thanks, hopefully the bay enjoys another transplant.

Any advice on which TK programs or schools within SLUSD are more sought after and why?

UPDATE: This man has been caught! Shout out to SLPD! Link: Check out this post

Have You Seen This Man? Multiple San Leandro Businesses Hit by Dumbbell Vandalism.
We’re asking for the community’s help identifying a man who appears to be connected to a series of vandalism incidents targeting businesses near Washington Avenue in San Leandro.

Over the past two months, 25–30 lb dumbbells have been thrown through the windows of at least four businesses:
Bara’s Deli (most recent incident)
Tapsilog Express (July 4th)
Launderland (last month)
Pho Thin Hanoi (formerly Nick’s)

The incidents have occurred between approximately 11:00 PM and 3:30 AM.
If you’ve seen this man, noticed anyone carrying or disposing of large dumbbells in the area, or know of an apartment or gym where dumbbells have gone missing, please contact the San Leandro Police Department’s non-emergency line. Even small details could help.

Please also consider supporting the local businesses that were affected. They’re part of our community.

Or maybe he isn’t.

I'm kind of new to East Bay. I'm in San Leandro. I already know Fieldwork and Drake's. The BevMo in Bayfair was kind of lackluster, imo. I'm willing to go to San Lorenzo, Hayward, Oakland and even Castro Valley.

Please comment any subreddits or other people interested...

Couldn't snap a pic but I was heading to Subway in the downtown SL parking lot and some random homeless guy using a walker asked for money to which I said no to. He then proceeded to follow me and ask for food, money, my number, each time getting louder and louder. I was seconds away from calling the cops after the guy walked away. Has anyone else encountered this guy? He seems like a problem waiting to happen.

bonus points for asian food !!! none of the options downtown are really speaking to me but i figured if a local has a good rec then i would be down to try. thank you in advance !!!!

editing to add: thank you all for the suggestions !!! i honestly wasn't expecting so many people to chime in so thank you for being so generous and sharing the local gems with me :)