Supervisor Dorsey Surprises All with Ask for PSH Hearing

by Jordan Davis

On February 6, I was at the Board of Supervisors meeting, getting ready to make moderate supervisors wince with my acerbic comments once again, when I heard District 6 Supervisor Matt Dorsey introduce a hearing on permanent supportive housing (PSH). The hearing was to focus on security procedures and safety inside and outside such housing. He cited neighborhood concerns about conditions around these sites as a reason to schedule this hearing. 

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Survival

by Akir Jackson

Surviving in the tech-fueled wealth bubble of San Francisco on a poverty-level income is a constant battle. As rising costs of living continue to push out all but the elite, being poor here means struggling for the basic dignity and security that many take for granted. 

With median rent for a one-bedroom apartment approaching $3,500, finding an affordable place to live on a limited budget is next to impossible.

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Youth and Adult Collaboration in Working to Make Youth Homelessness Brief, One-time and Non-recurring in Alameda County

Sahra Nawabi (Youth Lead, Alameda County’s Youth Advisory Board) & Hannah Moore (Youth
Services Program Manager, Alameda County Office of Homelessness Coordination

Introduction: 

Sahra (pronounced SAH- RO) Nawabi is Alameda County’s Youth Advisory Board (YAB) youth lead. The YAB is a body of youth who have experienced or are currently experiencing homelessness. The group advises on policy, programs and funding in Alameda County’s homeless response system. 

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Scattered Site Housing Works in Other Communities. Why Not San Francisco?

by Jordan Davis

In November of 2022, I voted no on the charter amendment to create a Homelessness Oversight Commission in San Francisco. But I am secretly glad it passed, because it is yet another forum where I can criticize the government. It is good that the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing is on the hot seat.

Every meeting, I enjoy reading the director’s report and highlighting various details of programs,

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FAQ: Preliminary Injunction Against the Criminalization of Homelessness in San Francisco

by Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights of the San Francisco Bay Area

Q: What is the holding of the Ninth Circuit case Martin v. Boise?

A: In Martin v. Boise, the Ninth Circuit determined that the government cannot arrest poor people for sitting, lying, or sleeping in public when they have no real alternative. The decision does not cover individuals who do have access to appropriate shelter or housing.

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Coalition on Homelessness et al v. San Francisco: City Emboldened to Continue Sweeps Despite Injunction

Counter rally outside Browning Courthouse in San Francisco on August 23, 2023

Mayor London Breed announced that the City plans to resume enforcing laws governing homelessness in San Francisco in the latest development in a lawsuit against San Francisco for how it conducts operations on street homeless encampments

In a Medium post on September 25, Mayor Breed said that a district court order from last December has prevented the City from enforcing several of its homelessness ordinances—while allowing street cleaning and clearing blocked sidewalks—but lawyers for the Coalition on Homelessness and seven unhoused plaintiffs dispute that assertion.

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Coalition on Homelessness et al v. San Francisco: One Week, Two Court Dates

Counter rally outside Browning Courthouse in San Francisco on August 23, 2023

A lawsuit over San Francisco’s sweeps of homeless encampments continued as two separate hearings were held last week. 

Those hearings may end up being a prelude to more action in court if the lawsuit comes to trial. Along with seven unhoused plaintiffs, the homeless advocacy organization Coalition on Homelessness—which also publishes Street Sheet—accused City workers of violating unhoused residents’ rights and destroying their property while clearing camps off the streets.

On August 23,

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Political Backlash Delays Opening of Overdose Prevention Center in San Francisco Once Again

Woman sitting with caption in background: "Hello there. We're Still Here"

by Seth Katz

At the heart of San Francisco’s ongoing struggle with drug-related issues lies a promising yet elusive solution: the establishment of overdose prevention (ODP) centers. While public health experts and advocates champion these centers as vital tools for mitigating the harms of substance use, attempts at opening them have been marred by political backlash and indecision. The result is a troubling gap between ODPs’ potential benefits and the concrete actions taken to bring them to fruition.

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Coalition on Homelessness et al v. San Francisco: City Balks on Settlement Offer

A tent is in the center of the frame. In front of it is what looks like a white dollhouse, laying flat on the ground. The image is in Black and White

The Coalition on Homelessness offered to settle its lawsuit against San Francisco for its illegal practices of sweeping unhoused people off sidewalks. The City rejected the offer.

In a Thursday letter to City Attorney David Chiu, Mayor London Breed and others, the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights of the San Francisco Bay Area and the American Civil Liberties Union Northern California said that both sides could work together toward a shared goal of tackling the dual problems of street homelessness and a lack of affordable housing. 

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A Record Add-back Year for the Budget!

Members of the Budget Justice Coalition inside Board of Supervisors chamber at SF City Hall

by Jennifer Friedenbach

It was a record add-back year, even though there was a decrease in General Fund revenue and we had a Mayor’s proposed budget that cut many community programs including $60 million from housing for homeless youth and families and $30 million from child care in two voter initiatives (from 2018).  In total the add-back pot for an overall $14.6 billion budget was $80 million over two years.  

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