I dunno. I lived there 30 years ago, and it had its sh*thole aspects even then. The city has always had a bunch of loonies running the place, though they were usually kept in line by whoever the mayor was and by the various businessmen/crooks making money there. (Willie Brown covered both worlds.) As much corruption as anywhere, aggressive panhandlers, etc. Market Street and the whole area where conventions are held have never been great neighborhoods.
It's a great city, and has survived in partly in spite of the loons on the left running in. That said, some right wing moralist wouldn't have helped the city either. It needs to preserve its "liberal" identity. Offshoots of that are naturally drug addicts, panhandlers and crime. But good times, too.
