Sex- offender clinic scraps plans for disputed site

A counseling center for convicted sex offenders, yielding to pressure from prospective neighbors, has dropped plans to move into new quarters in the Upper Market area.

Sharper Future, which had planned to open Tuesday inside a longvacant pharmacy at Duboce and Church streets, said it was abandoning the plan following a community meeting on Monday night attended by hundreds of neighbors, many of whom loudly protested the proposed move.

“Sharper Future has decided to immediately halt efforts to move into 100 Church St.,” said Sharper Future’s president, Mary- Perry Miller, who is also a psychologist. “After ( the) meeting, it is clear that our presence would be divisive for everyone concerned.

“Out of respect for the community and the very critical work that we do, we’ve elected to seek an alternate location.”

Company spokeswoman Evette Davis said Sharper Future would look for another site in San Francisco because its current office at 1540 Market St. is scheduled for demolition. Its contract with state authorities requires it to be located and accessible to its clients in San Francisco, Davis said. The company, founded in 1995, operates a chain of counseling centers throughout California for convicted sex offenders.

“We feel good about their decision to pull the plug,” said Dennis Roybal, president of the Duboce Triangle Neighborhood Association. “Sharper Future is not something that the residents of our neighborhood felt warm and fuzzy about. We’re looking forward to a different neighbor moving into that location.”

Roybal said his members objected to the “controversial” nature of Sharper Future’s service, and that the neighborhood had not been informed of it before the move was announced.

“I’m surprised they backed out so quickly,” said another neighborhood resident, a few doors from the proposed facility, who did not want to be identified.

“But it’s probably the best decision for all concerned.” Steve Rubenstein is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. E- mail: srubenstein @ sfchronicle. com