Man says he was attacked at Watermark in SF, 2nd assault reported there less than 2 weeks

In less than two weeks, a second person living in the Watermark condo building on Beale Street in San Francisco became the victim of a physical attack.  

It's adding fuel to the controversy over neighbors' opposition to the city's plan to build a new navigation center for the homeless next door. 

Critics say it has attracted crime and more homeless people to the area. 

On Tuesday, before 9 p.m., the victim who asked to be identified only as "Mike," said he was attacked by a man as he was trying to enter the condo building.

This attack comes on the heels of another one on one of Mike's neighbors, a woman who was assaulted on Aug. 11 as she entered the building. Her suspect, Austin James Vincent, was arrested and charged. Both incidents were captured by surveillance cameras. 

The video shows a man running along the 500 block of Beale Street and striking the victim.

Another video shows the suspect running away.  

"He punched me in the face, pretty fast, pretty hard," said Mike.

He said he was getting out of a rideshare vehicle while coming home from work.  Mike said  suddenly, someone ran up from behind  and punched him in the forehead 
 
"I was completely shocked. I didn't know what to think.  At first, I wanted to follow him to see where he went," he said.

But he changed his mind.  Police responded to the incident. No one was arrested.

Neighbors blame the city's plans to build a navigation center  next door for attracting crime and homeless people into the area. 

"Four months ago when I came here,  there wasn't that much homeless here,"  Mike said, adding that he didn't get a good look at his attacker because it happened fast and it was dark. He said he doesn't know if his attacker is homeless.  

Still, opponents want construction of the navigation center stopped.

One homeless woman in the area said she supports having the new navigation center and that she would try to  get services there. 

She says people are quick to judge and that many on the streets need help.

"I think they should open their mind.  They want people to keep using the restroom on their front doorsteps," said Ashley Trueba, who's homeless.  

Some say the navigation center is  needed to address the homeless crisis 

"If we continue to make people suffer on the streets,  we're going to see more people addicted to drugs. We're going to see more people become victims to the crimes that are on our streets," said Laura Foote with YIMBY Action, an advocacy group for housing the homeless. .  

As for Mike, he said he loved walking around the neighborhood, but that he will no longer do so.

"If I didn't have a lease, I would definitely move somewhere else," said Mike.  He says he works in San Francisco, but he's considering moving to the South Bay when his lease expires.  He says he would consider a longer commute for work instead of living in an unsafe neighborhood.  

City officials say construction on the new navigation center should be completed in December. The film is expected to open next year in January.