• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Ex-PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi worked from midnight until 5 a.m. as a receptionist to pay for her Yale degree—and she says ‘respect went up’ because of it

2

Shark Tank's Kevin O'Leary says if he were 25 today, he'd chase these two booming opportunities in the world of AI

3

China’s birth rate just hit its lowest point since 1949—and Trip.com cofounder James Liang thinks that’s a threat to innovation

1

Ex-PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi worked from midnight until 5 a.m. as a receptionist to pay for her Yale degree—and she says ‘respect went up’ because of it

2

Shark Tank's Kevin O'Leary says if he were 25 today, he'd chase these two booming opportunities in the world of AI

3

China’s birth rate just hit its lowest point since 1949—and Trip.com cofounder James Liang thinks that’s a threat to innovation
San Francisco

Medical Convention Cancels on San Francisco Because Its Streets Are So Distressing

By
Brittany Shoot
Brittany Shoot
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Brittany Shoot
Brittany Shoot
Down Arrow Button Icon
July 2, 2018, 7:17 PM ET
San Francisco Nudges Homeless Away From Super Bowl Fan Village
A man plays with a dog in Justin Herman Plaza in San Francisco, California, U.S., on Thursday, Jan. 21, 2016. San Francisco, host city for the National Football League's (NFL) Super Bowl, has dispatched a team of social workers, cops and fire fighters to remove the homeless from the long-time homeless encampment that will be the site of "Super Bowl City," a free, family-friendly fan village that will feature concerts, interactive games and celebrity appearances. Photographer: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty ImagesPhotograph by David Paul Morris — Bloomberg via Getty Images
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

San Francisco has no shortage of business conferences, from product releases to industry summits to multi-day multinational medical gatherings. (There are even conferences held by this very publication.) But the city’s challenges with homelessness and street life are well-known—so much so that San Francisco has lost at least one major physicians conference over the situation.

According to a report in the San Francisco Chronicle, a survey of past attendees of the unnamed medical conference cited feeling unsafe walking on San Francisco city streets, prompting the doctors group to seek a new venue for its semi-annual gathering. Their reported concerns: open drug use, threatening behavior, and mental illness on display.

The decision is extraordinary because such events take years to plan. It’s the first time the city has lost a major convention due to visitor discomfort and concerns about safety, according to Joe D’Alessandro, president and chief executive of the San Francisco Travel Association, speaking to the Chronicle. He added that the five-day trade show helps the city generate $40 million from its 15,000 attendees. (Speaking to the Chronicle, D’Alessandro declined to name the medical group in hopes of bringing it back to the city for a future event; he did not respond to a Fortune request for comment.)

Tourism is San Francisco’s biggest industry, and the SFTA estimates the city had 25.5 million visitors in 2017. That’s an increase of 2.6 million people since 2013. In 2017 alone, visitors to San Francisco spent $9.1 billion with conventions accounting for an additional $687.4 million in direct spending.

Statistically speaking, San Francisco does not lead the nation in homelessness. (That dubious crown goes to New York City or Seattle, depending on how you count.) But the visible nature of the epidemic in the city, where many people live on the streets instead of in shelters, makes it a particularly notable situation for visitors and residents alike. Indeed, homelessness was a platform issue in the recent San Francisco mayoral race.

About the Author
By Brittany Shoot
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in

Unilever’s big World Cup bet is all about building ‘desire at scale’
NewslettersCEO Daily
Unilever’s big World Cup bet is all about building ‘desire at scale’
By Diane BradyJuly 8, 2026
54 minutes ago
Current refi mortgage rates report for July 8, 2026
Personal FinanceReal Estate
Current refi mortgage rates report for July 8, 2026
By Glen Luke FlanaganJuly 8, 2026
3 hours ago
Mortgage rates today, July 8, 2026
Personal Financemortgages
Mortgage rates today, July 8, 2026
By Glen Luke FlanaganJuly 8, 2026
3 hours ago
Current ARM mortgage rates report for July 8, 2026
Personal FinanceReal Estate
Current ARM mortgage rates report for July 8, 2026
By Glen Luke FlanaganJuly 8, 2026
3 hours ago
Multiple Nomagic robots working side by side, automating the packing of customer orders in e-commerce fulfillment.
AIRobots
Nomagic’s new AI lab headed by former Google DeepMind researcher claims success in early deployment of ‘AI brain’ for warehouse robots
By Jeremy KahnJuly 8, 2026
3 hours ago
se
CommentaryVenture Capital
Physical AI’s $50 trillion opportunity requires long-term conviction, but the payoff is huge 
By Amit ChaturvedyJuly 8, 2026
3 hours ago

Most Popular

Ex-PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi worked from midnight until 5 a.m. as a receptionist to pay for her Yale degree—and she says ‘respect went up’ because of it
Success
Ex-PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi worked from midnight until 5 a.m. as a receptionist to pay for her Yale degree—and she says ‘respect went up’ because of it
By Preston ForeJuly 6, 2026
2 days ago
Shark Tank's Kevin O'Leary says if he were 25 today, he'd chase these two booming opportunities in the world of AI
AI
Shark Tank's Kevin O'Leary says if he were 25 today, he'd chase these two booming opportunities in the world of AI
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezJuly 5, 2026
3 days ago
China’s birth rate just hit its lowest point since 1949—and Trip.com cofounder James Liang thinks that’s a threat to innovation
Asia
China’s birth rate just hit its lowest point since 1949—and Trip.com cofounder James Liang thinks that’s a threat to innovation
By Nicholas GordonJuly 7, 2026
1 day ago
Current price of oil as of July 7, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of July 7, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJuly 7, 2026
21 hours ago
Despite ending his tennis career with a $220 million net worth, Rafael Nadal says he won’t retire because he hates waking up to no plans
Success
Despite ending his tennis career with a $220 million net worth, Rafael Nadal says he won’t retire because he hates waking up to no plans
By Orianna Rosa RoyleJuly 7, 2026
1 day ago
Even as Elon Musk calls philanthropy ‘very hard,’ everyday Americans gave a record $617 billion—despite feeling the squeeze over the cost of living
Success
Even as Elon Musk calls philanthropy ‘very hard,’ everyday Americans gave a record $617 billion—despite feeling the squeeze over the cost of living
By Preston ForeJuly 4, 2026
4 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.