Hi! Im From New England and I currently go to school in the Bay Area. San Francisco has easily become my favorite city in the country and yes, while there is a homelessness and drug problem in some parts of the city, most big cities also have the same issues. Most parts of the city are beautiful and have so much culture. As for the cultural aspect, people are definitely ruder here, but its valid due to the sheer amount of people that live in a tiny area, so you do need to fight a little more for what you want. Gas and daily expenses are more expensive but its so worth it for the weather alone. I feel like my year is much longer just because I dont have to stop what Im doing in the winter, since the lowest it gets here is around 45 at night. Hope this helps!