Families in RVs at Risk of Displacement: Urgent Plea for Safe Parking and Housing

by Contributing Author

by Juanita Ramos

On October 24, families residing in RVs on Winston Drive and Buckingham Way converged at the intersection of the two streets at 8:30 a.m. Their assembly, joined by a coalition of service providers, neighbors, and concerned community members, carried a poignant request: They implored the San Francisco Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing (HSH) to honor its commitment to provide safe parking sites and permanent housing. This appeal has become even more pressing in light of impending parking restrictions.

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No to APEC

by Contributing Author
Save the Date Shut Down APEC Nov. 12 noon Harry Bridges Plaza RSVP:tinyurl.com/nov12N2A

by Joemae Santos

This year, San Francisco will host APEC downtown at the Moscone Center. The summit is a convening of 21 heads of states, primarily from the Indo-Pacific region, where they will discuss economic foreign policies. With these policies come agreements that will only benefit the politically elite and the wealthy such as the privatization of industries or the establishment of agreements binding one country’s resources to the interest of another.

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My Quest to Avoid Becoming Homeless

by Contributing Author
Defund Police. Invest in Community. House. Feed. Empathy. Listen. Teach.

by Jack Bragen

Our streets have become a dumping ground for unfortunate people who could not keep up with the expectations of society. In the bottom of our socioeconomic structure there is a giant trapdoor through which people can fall if they can’t keep pace. 

Disabled people who can’t keep up with full-time, professional work will often fall through this trapdoor. If their family is unwilling or unable to provide enough help,

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CARE Court in California: A Primer

by Contributing Author
Defund Police. Invest in Community. House. Feed. Empathy. Listen. Teach.

by Gloria A Lightheart

In September 2022, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 1338, creating a mental health court. The Community Assistance Recovery & Empowerment (CARE) court program empowers judges to compel people with mental health disabilities or substance abuse issues to accept psychiatric treatment and medication. The legislature approved the bill on a near-unanimous vote.

In the new system, a court-appointed conservator would make financial and health care decisions,

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Berkeley Homeless Services Panel of Experts Postpones Referral of Good Neighbor Guidelines

by Contributing Author
A tent from the Here There camp in South Berkeley marked with a public notice to vacate, January 31, 2023.

by Bradley Penner

New guidelines would dictate how officials prioritize encampment sweeps in the City of Berkeley

Berkeley officials have drafted an encampment accountability policy that would determine how to prioritize sweeps throughout the city. Known as the “Good Neighbor Guidelines,” the policy asks encampment residents to abide by a series of rules that, if violated, would lead to a range of interventions including the posting of public notices to voluntarily relocate,

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Homelessness and Colonization

by Contributing Author
Defund Police. Invest in Community. House. Feed. Empathy. Listen. Teach.

by Kiara Gabriel

Homelessness is a serious issue affecting many communities around the world, including Indigenous populations. In many cases, the loss of Indigenous land has been identified as a major contributing factor to homelessness among these populations. Let’s explore the relationship between the loss of Indigenous land and homelessness, and the various ways in which this problem can be addressed.

Indigenous populations have been displaced and dispossessed of their lands and resources for centuries.

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Poverty in the City by the Bay

by Contributing Author
Defund Police. Invest in Community. House. Feed. Empathy. Listen. Teach.

by Serena Andrew

San Francisco, the City by the Bay, with its iconic landmarks and vibrant culture, has long been hailed as a symbol of prosperity and innovation. However, behind the shining facade lies a harsh reality that many fail to see: poverty. I share with you my personal story, a journey from the shadows of destitution to the rays of hope that can permeate the streets of San Francisco.

My tale begins with a humble upbringing in one of the city’s low-income neighborhoods.

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

by Contributing Author

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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Remembering Andy Howard

by Contributing Author
In Loving Memory Andy Howard

by Ian James

Andrew Howard passed away at the Henry Hotel on August 29 at the age of 58, the Coalition on Homelessness has learned. Andy was a volunteer at the Coalition who helped dozens of victims of illegal property confiscation to navigate the legal system in pursuit of justice. He was also a poet, entrepreneur, mechanic and kind-hearted soul. 

I met Andy outside his tent in front of the Ferry Building in June 2022.

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Op-ed: PSH Eviction Data Doesn’t Tell the Whole Story

by Contributing Author
Woman raising fist, wearing a green kerchief and shirt reading "None of us is free until all of us are free"

by Jordan Davis

Every September, the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing releases data on evictions for the preceding fiscal year, as required by a City ordinance. Since 2020, I have read these yearly reports, and the more I learn about these reports, the more skeptical I am of whether they paint a true picture of evictions from permanent supportive housing (PSH).

At September’s Homelessness Oversight Commission meeting,

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