“We Sentence Him to Death”
Why a San Francisco Deli Owner is Under Attack
Adam Mesnick has owned the Deli Board since 2009. This small business that specializes in gargantuan, high-quality sandwiches is located in the South of Market neighborhood, an area known for some of the worst crime, squalor, and open drug use in the city.
I interviewed Mesnick on my KRON show, Making it in San Francisco, several years ago. He spoke of the growing homeless encampments and worsening crime in the district. Since then we have become friends. When Deli Board was robbed and ransacked, I set up a GoFundMe crowdfunding campaign that generated over $20,000. (And bestowed an eponymous sandwich, The Sandberg).
Mesnick has become a prominent advocate for people living on the street, almost all of whom are addicted to fentanyl, crack, and meth and who are often severely mentally ill. He’s also a vocal critic of city leaders. Across media outlets, Mesnick has called them out for doing little, if anything, to create positive change. Meanwhile he provides essentials for those who are suffering - and too often perishing. Among those Mesnick has tried to help but who are no longer with us are Timothy Vansandt, Ian Carrier and a woman named Mary who died naked, alone and with a needle in her arm.
Although Mesnick’s deli is surrounded by mayhem, he does what he can to operate safely. Recently, however, he struggled with a woman who’s meth smoke was entering his business. She screamed at passersby, telling people she would kill them. Mesnick begged the authorities for assistance, but none came. Eventually he said that if the city wouldn’t step in to move the woman, he would.
On March, 10, 2023, he received this message:
What’s happening? Here’s my interview with Mesnick to find out.
Who do you believe is behind the death threats?
I don’t really know but I think it’s all driven by Twitter. This last week has been worse. My comment about that woman. But if everyone was so concerned about her well-being, where have they been? She is out of jail, living on the street in piles of garbage, smoking meth and setting fires. She’s absolutely out of her mind. I charged her phone, gave her food and money for her to move from my door, but she didn’t. We had an agreement and she broke the deal.
These people have the time to threaten me, Tweet, make negative google reviews, boycott my business but not one person came down to see this poor woman. Not one.
How credible do you think the threats against you are?
I think it’s nonsense. It’s stupidity. Honestly I’ve gotten so many boycotts, so much hate, I’m desensitized. This has been going on for years. It really goes to show you how sick and twisted they are.
Why are you a target?
The truth hurts. I have a good reputation, a solid business. I take care of my employees, I’m involved locally and am on the neighborhood’s community benefit group. I own a popular restaurant and am fairly influential. And I share the truth. That’s a very large problem for this group. I’m honest.
Let's go back – what's happening in your community? Can you describe what you experience every day?
What do I see? Horror. Dead bodies. Piles of humans who are suffering. It's a fentanyl massacre; an unchecked drug addiction and mental illness problem with no plan. It’s all drugs.
I see broken window after broken window. I hear stories of theft, loss, fear, and sadness, disconnection. It’s unsafe. I can’t believe children have to walk by these scenes. It looks apocalyptic.
People will be coming back to work in the city after three years of not being here, as part of the city’s so-called recovery. They will be shocked by what they see. Places they used to go for lunch are gone. Tents on Montgomery Street, Second Street, people being robbed.
Have any local leaders stepped in to help the people on the street who are clearly in dire need?
Only Supervisor Matt Dorsey. But what can one supervisor do? There’s no plan; no place for people to go. We’re in a holding pattern.
What about nonprofits - are any actually helping the people who need help?
No. HealthRight360 (a city-funded agency that’s supposed to provide impoverished and homeless people with medical, mental health, and addiction care) should be embarrassed by the conditions across the street from them. Absolutely ashamed. It’s despicable. People are overdosing in front and they have beds inside. Pull them off the concrete and put them in beds!
You’ve been calling on Jennifer Friedenbach, executive director of the Coalition on Homeless, for a debate. Has she ever responded?
She’s never engaged. Jenny is like a cult leader. The group is very organized. They’re not helping people get better and I have to believe it's financial. Something about keeping their jobs. For them it has to be housing, not drugs. If they’re no longer needed they lose their jobs.
Regarding the attacks and threats, has anyone from the city reached out to you with support?
No. They’re not trained to be leaders.
That woman is gone now, though. Someone took her somewhere. Tomorrow is Arbor Day and the mayor is coming to plant a tree where she was.
How has all this affected your business and employees?
I have a guy on my team who lived in the Tenderloin who did drugs for years. This is a sanctuary for him. I’ve got 14, 15 employees, and they come from all walks of life. Students, immigrants from Honduras, Mexico, El Salvador. They’re like my family. They take food home, eat here. I treat people well and make them feel safe. Having people outside my place is hard. My staff has had phones and purses stolen.
When I was robbed, almost everything was taken. I had to close down for a while. You set up the GoFundMe and I split that money evenly with my employees.
The community at large has rallied in your defense. Can you explain how that makes you feel?
That’s the bright side. It's helpful and feels better to have that support. It lifts me when I’m down. It hurts me to be called racist. Against who? I’m Jewish and kids like me weren’t always treated well where I’m from.
When I came to San Francisco in 2001 from Cleveland I looked at the city as a melting pot. I loved it. There was a special, welcoming feeling here. You could protest publicly, naked if you wanted. Everything about this place was amazing. Things worked. That version of San Francisco worked very well.
If you had control over the city, what would you do to make a positive difference?
The problems here have gone completely unchecked. We must have rules and consequences. Period. We can’t have people living on the streets; there has to be boundaries. Put criminals in jail. I’m not alone on this anymore. Some of the most liberal people who have attacked me for saying this now want me to help them.
- end of interview
Maybe that’s why Adam Mesnick is receiving death threats. The information dam is bursting. Not much can be hidden anymore and the rumble of the crowd is becoming deafening. Those who are trying desperately to maintain a dishonest and destructive narrative are overwhelmed - and panicking.
I feel the Mayer and BoS are mainly worthless! They generally support Harm Reduction instead of getting and or forcing people to get into drug rehab programs and get clean. Then give them housing.
Otherwise they’ll continue to use even if they have a place and self destruct there.
They the city government should fashion programs after Delancey Street which is proven to work.
I agree with you Erica, and with Adam, and with Susan. SOS will only get you more of the SOS.
Did you see the article on Mayor of Coronado = short version got rid of all the homeless by enforcing the existing laws! Sounds sort of like what Adam is suggesting.
It's not mean or cold hearted to be tough on drug addicts. They are literally killing themselves in public and treating everyone else to the horror show. Instead of enabling them, we need to help them stop. The Homeless Industrial Complex is harming them by enabling them.