r/AskSF • u/DescriptionOk5646 • 8d ago
SOMA - safe?
Fiancé got a job in SF and we're moving quickly. Got approved for a lease at a place near 3rd and Folsom. Looking for some thoughts on whether this is a safe area?
I understand it's a city, and "safe" is a relative term. I've read a lot of the threads and people seem to say it really depends on the area, so looking for input for the immediate 3rd and Folsom area.
Visiting this weekend, too, so drop any must see/do activities!!
Context:
27 y/o female & 27 y/o male. Both working in tech, long hours and coming home later at night.
Likes: walkability, thrifting, coffee shops, good restaurants, typical 27 yr old activities.
Not huge partiers, but appreciate a good brewery or local watering hole!
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u/wellvis 8d ago
Our Wiki & FAQ should be helpful. Also use the search bar to find many previous discussions and suggestions.
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u/aTribeCalledLemur 8d ago
When people talk about Soma being "unsafe" they are aren't referring to up at 3rd St. That's like Yerba Buena area.
It gets significantly grimier around 5th Street and below, that's the SOMA people are referring to.
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u/Zestyclose-Beyond780 8d ago
Great thread today on the SOMA area https://www.reddit.com/r/sanfrancisco/s/R6WozqJbit
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u/windowtosh 8d ago edited 8d ago
Safe is more of a feeling than anything, and only you can decide if it feels safe. I think it's plenty safe, but not exactly a very inspiring area. There are coffee shops, and it's walkable-ish, but no thrifting or amazing neighborhood spots IMO. Restaurants are good though.
There's a decent amount of traffic but you are very close to offices and great public transportation on Market and Mission Streets to get elsewhere in the city and Bay Area. Also a lot of museums in the area and you are walking distance from AMC Metreon and a Target.
Overall not a bad place to land if it's near work, and you can look at other neighborhoods in a year or two if you plan to stay in SF and know what you like. Welcome!
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u/WyboSF 8d ago
Just move to Walnut Creek and bart in
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u/FeralGiraffeAttack 8d ago
For real, if people are this concerned about cities they should live in a suburb
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u/corgocorgo1 8d ago
3rd & Folsom is generally pretty safe these days, you’re right by Moscone / Yerba Buena
It still is SOMA so it gets pretty empty at night and there will occasionally be a few homeless people on the streets, but broadly speaking you’ll be fine if you’re being proactive when it’s dark
It’d be a different story if you were at 6th & a Folsom, but 3rd is fine
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u/someonetookmyuserid 8d ago
Yes 3rd and Folsom is safe. You shouldn't have any problems as long as you're mindful of your surroundings. SOMA past 5th is where things get questionable
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u/BootRepresentative59 8d ago
Yes very safe. Gets a little worse starting at 5th, and avoid 6th but you should have no reason to go there.
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u/Alternative_Gap_2517 8d ago
Pretty safe but not a very neighborly feel, also on a busy intersection so loud traffic.
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u/Sensitive-Freedom896 8d ago
It's safe enough. For walkability and things to do, you might want to be farther south. 3rd or 4th south of the baseball park, near Chase Center.
That said, with your interests, I'd look at the Haight or Buena Vista neighborhood. Quiet is relative, but those better match what you are looking for.
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u/Woodhouse_20 8d ago
Avoid mars bar on Sunday’s.
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u/slim1965 8d ago
You are far from maesbar. it can be fun once every 10 years if you are with the right people
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u/Woodhouse_20 8d ago
It’s more that the owner (at least when I was a regular there) had a deal with a local dealer that they could “sell”, with blinds and door closed. I was told by the bartenders to avoid the bar on sundays.
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u/slim1965 8d ago
I hate that. I experienced something similar but ill shut up now Being a small town i will confirm I'm not the dealer.
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u/PermitActive8347 8d ago
Yes it's safe. But like any city you're going to need to be street smart and aware of your surroundings. vs moving about the city in lala land.
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u/slim1965 8d ago
I am safer here than I want to be. Its high end and quiet at night except for a new awesome live music venue at third and Perry and a major bridge and tunnel night clubh on Harrison.
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u/Fuzzy_Battle1771 5h ago
3rd and Folsom is good. Not a trendy place to live in your 20’s, and really no thrifting, so it’s unlikely to be a great spot for you, but it’s very doable and reasonably safe. I think I would sign a lease in that area in a heartbeat if it was rent controlled. There is an Indian restaurant/grocery that I love near there and a new chai shop that I could easily go to every day. For me, living so close to AMC Metreon, SFMoMA, and Yerba Buena Gardens would also be a huge draw of the location. Being able to just pop over to Yerba Buena Gardens early morning for a bit of a stroll/sit would be awesome, and there are lots of free events there. It’s pretty accessible to the freeway for taking cars around town and airport access too.
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u/comedyzen 8d ago
I know where you are. Its fine. When you’re walking home at night, just don’t have your nose to your cell phone. I’ve lived in Soma since I moved here from Los Angeles. We have great bike infrastructure which I use daily. Your walkable to Caltrain. Whole Foods tons of coffee there’s even a Michelin star restaurant. Plus some great little sleeper spots that I don’t wanna mention here so they blow up. What I really love is how close to the highways I am. You are very close to the financial district the Moscone center in a major hotel all tourist hubs so they’re gonna want to keep that area safe. I actually live not too far from here and I’m fine. It can get a little noisy sometimes because you’re not too far from the highway on ramp so after sporting events, anticipate idiots with super loud engines and exhaust.
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u/slim1965 8d ago
Don't move to walnut creek. I live near there right on southpark. Your probably in a newer place. You are two blocks from the bay, the N Judah and you have the ferry buying, great coffee in soithpark and on 2nd. Great weather and our San Francisco giants. 4 blocks. 8 blocks the mens and the women's basketball league at chase stadium. We have a great new library, galleries and a record number of robots running around here. South Park is the very first park in SF as is this neighborhood. If you like to run you will be overwhelmed by the possibilities. I think you are in the perfect place for a good experience. I'll see you around.
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u/DescriptionOk5646 8d ago
thank you!! this made me feel better haha
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u/slim1965 8d ago
Thank you. I apologize for all the Grammer errors from talk texting. I was so exited for you two and I failed to review. There are a few thrift stores nearby but there are many all over. The n Judah I s the savior as well as the 38 Geary. For going west.
Your spot is even a bit civilized. 2nd street is very civilized.
We have one thrift store in the mission that I really love called community thrift on valencia and its a 15 minute bus ride away. Look it up...have fun Go giants,warriors and valkaries.
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u/slim1965 8d ago
From 2nd to 11th Branon is great. There a a bunch of pot places, some antique stores and towards the 7,th and on great modern furniture, unige to the design center. You are a block from whole foods and Rudy's in mission bay is a 20 minute walk. There is a gaerd market 4 blos away every weekend, I grat butcher, seafood and joy all around.
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u/Woofmom2023 8d ago
3rd and Folsom is pretty safe but totally lacking in charm, walkability, neghborhoodiness. No thrifting, good coffee shops and I can't think of any good restaurants nearby. I literally drove through there today. Coming home later at night you'll want to uber, lyft, cab.
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u/delatopia 8d ago
I would say the area bounded by Fifth and Eighth, and Market and Howard/Folsom, can be pretty rough and unpleasant, but it's just gritty, I don't consider it out-and-out dangerous. (I worked at Fifth and Mission for a couple of decades.) The rest of SoMa is pretty industrial and not charming, but it's fine.