Earlier this month, staff at the Nancy Pelosi Federal Building in San Francisco were told to work remotely “for the foreseeable future” because of skyrocketing crime in the area.
The San Francisco Chronicle reports that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) advised its employees to work from home — citing safety concerns.
The Nancy Pelosi Federal Building, an 18-story building located on Seventh Street and Mission, contains several different federal agencies — including the HHS, the U.S. Department of Labor, the U.S. Department of Transportation, and Rep. Nancy Pelosi’s (D-CA) office.
The memo advising employees to work from home was reportedly only sent to HHS employees.
According to the San Francisco Chronicle, the area around the Nancy Pelosi Federal Building has turned into a dangerous open-air drug market. Videos shared on social media of the street outside the building show homeless encampments and people buying and using drugs.
San Francisco’s Federal building looks like a US embassy in a poverty stricken country. pic.twitter.com/hEdsnT4oz4
— Harrison Krank (@HarrisonKrank) August 14, 2023
The memo was sent on August 4 by HHS Assistant Secretary for Administration Cheryl R. Campbell. The document, which was obtained by the San Francisco Chronicle, told regional leaders that they should avoid the building entirely.
“In light of the conditions at the (Federal Building) we recommend employees … maximize the use of telework for the foreseeable future,” the memo stated.
The same day that Campbell sent the memo, the Biden administration urged federal agencies to “aggressively execute” a plan to bring federal employees back to the office and put an end to remote work — citing “the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency,” according to Axios.
Meanwhile, both Pelosi’s office and the Department of Labor have not asked their San Francisco employees to work from home — instead telling the San Francisco Chronicle that they are working with local and federal law enforcement to improve safety measures in the area.
“The safety of workers in our federal buildings has always been a priority for Speaker Emerita Pelosi, whether in the building or on their commute,” Aaron Bennett, a spokesperson for Pelosi’s office, wrote in a statement to the outlet.
“Federal, state, and local law enforcement — in coordination with public health officials and stakeholders — are working hard to address the acute crises of fentanyl trafficking and related violence in certain areas of the city,” the statement continued.
However, the General Services Administration — which is in charge of maintaining the federal building — falsely claimed that the area is “a safe and secure space for federal employees and the visiting public.”
Federal employees aren’t the only ones hiding from crime in San Francisco, as many businesses have chosen to close their stores and leave the area in response to a rise in robberies.
This is a sign that America is becoming a 3rd world nation
"'San Francisco is dying': Before and after video shows the mass exodus of huge brands like Crate & Barrel, CVS and Office Depot from the crime-ridden city caught in a 'doom loop'"https://t.co/c61xdkM4Ko
— Luke Rudkowski (@Lukewearechange) August 13, 2023
