A Publication of the Coalition on Homelessness
by Christin Evans
There are four so-called “Charter Reform” ballot measures on the November ballot that we should all oppose: Propositions A, D, E and F. While each measure does something slightly different, they all have the same effect: silencing the voice of everyday San Franciscans at City Hall.
The Clean Up City Hall campaign spent over $5 million from a couple of wealthy billionaires to put Propositions D,
by Eliza Macaluso and Kalevi Kaukonen
Mayor Daniel Lurie’s administration has terminated its contract with the Sixth Street Self-Help Center, forcing the Center to close by December 31, 2026. The closure comes as City leaders attempt to “revitalize” the Sixth Street corridor.
Hospitality House, a nonprofit that has served San Francisco’s housed and unhoused residents since 1967, operates the Sixth Street Self-Help Center and six other programs.
by Joe Wilson
As Hospitality House approaches its 60th year, we reflect on hard-won victories, some difficult losses, and important lessons learned. Friendships and bonds forged in struggle. Champions in our midst. Resilience. Despite the odds, we’re surrounded by ordinary individuals accomplishing extraordinary things, summoning up the best of humanity. Every day. And always, relationships and community matter. People matter.
For nearly 20 years, our Sixth Street Self-Help Center has had at its heart,
by Jordan Wasilewski
I want to share something I learned in high school, a parable from South Asia about the blind men and the elephant. Several blind men touched the elephant in different parts of their body and came back with various different descriptions of the animal, which, although accurate, was incomplete. Together, the blind men could have painted a picture of the elephant and all its multitudes. I am also reminded of a quote by deaf-blind disability advocate and socialist Helen Keller,
The City of San Francisco, at the direction of Mayor Daniel Lurie’s office, is pursuing a “residency requirement” before unhoused folks can receive homeless services. It hasn’t unveiled the plan yet, or had planning meetings around it that are open to the public. The public doesn’t yet know which services or what this would look like, but the intent is obvious: more political scapegoating.
The “magnet theory” political trope is as old as mass homelessness in the U.S.
by Jordan Wasilewski
In June of this year, I participated in a Tenant Empowerment Week, which was organized by the Supportive Housing Providers Network (SHPN). I wrote about my first two days at the event last month, and continue here.
On Wednesday, Day 3, I once again got up early, put on some clothing that could be considered “gothic professional,” printed off the PSH Tenant Bill Of Rights Proposal,
by Shakema Straker
The following is an excerpt from “We Belong Here,” a newly released report from the Coalition on Homelessness. The full report can be found on cohsf.org.
San Francisco’s parks belong to everyone. That is not just an aspiration, it is the explicit mission of the San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department (SFRPD): “to provide enriching recreational activities, maintain beautiful parks and open spaces,
by Malik Washington
Disclosure: I have had prior professional contact with William Palmer through his former radio program, Cafe Revolution on KPOO 89.5 FM, and I attended Sheriff’s Department oversight hearings referenced in this article. I also spent time incarcerated inside San Francisco County Jail facilities, including San Bruno. That history informs this reporting but does not alter the documented public record on which this investigation is based.
by Lupe Velez
On Tuesday, July 14, the Board of Supervisors voted 7–4 to pass Supervisor Matt Dorsey’s Drug-Free PSH legislation. The passage was expected because five supervisors joined Dorsey as co-sponsors.
First drafted in late 2025, the policy called for the creation of drug-free permanent supportive housing from which tenants with a history of substance use disorder would be evicted if they relapse twice. The controversial policy has concerned substance use experts,
by Jordan Wasilewski
From June 15 through June 18, I participated in Tenant Empowerment Week, which was one of the few opportunities for permanent supportive housing tenants to make their voices heard in City Hall. At first, I was a little nervous about it being organized by the Supportive Housing Providers Network, an organization that includes PSH landlords, as real tenant organizing should be independent of landlords.
