Netflix Film Set Sparks Alarm: Fake Homeless Encampment Erected in San Francisco Financial District

San Francisco residents were alarmed on Friday when a strikingly realistic homeless encampment appeared overnight in the city's Financial District — only to learn later that it was a movie set for Netflix's upcoming sci-fi mystery, 2034.

Fake homeless tents were set up on Friday X/@abc7newsbayarea

Crews placed rows of tents along California Street and Battery Street as they transformed the block into a production site for the film, directed by Joseph Gordon-Levitt and starring Rachel McAdams and Jeff Daniels.

Filming for an upcoming Netflix film took place in the Financial District of San Francisco X/@abc7newsbayarea

Residents React

The scene was convincing enough that concerned locals swamped the city's 311 line and filed reports through the SolveSF portal. “I was walking around, and there’s a million tents everywhere, which seems more than normal for this area,” one resident told ABC7. Another added, “To the trained eye, somehow they don’t look like regular homeless encampments.”

Mayor Daniel Lurie speaking at an event Getty Images

City Policy and Film Incentives

The elaborate set comes months after Mayor Daniel Lurie — who was reportedly seen near the filming location — signed legislation intended to modernize and strengthen San Francisco’s film incentive program. City officials said the changes aim to attract more film and television productions back to San Francisco and support the local creative community.

Aerial view of the city Getty Images

“Mayor Daniel Lurie today signed legislation championed by Board of Supervisors President Rafael Mandelman to modernize and strengthen San Francisco's film incentive program — which will help attract film and television productions back to San Francisco and support the city's creative community,” the city said in a statement released in February.

The move mirrors broader state efforts to bring productions back to California. In July 2025 the governor’s office announced a proposed $750 million film and TV tax credit intended to boost the industry, local economies and jobs.

Manijeh Fata, executive director of Film SF, emphasized the importance of keeping productions in the city: “It’s really important for us to have productions here,” she said.

Production Notes

Although 2034 is set in San Francisco, much of the film has been shot in Serbia and Montenegro. According to production schedules, filming is expected to wrap later this month.

Officials later confirmed the encampment was part of the film production. The incident highlights how realistic sets can prompt public concern and underscores the importance of clear communication between film productions and local communities.