Mayor London Breed released a statement on March 1 reporting on a reduction in the number of tents in San Francisco due to sweeps. While the Mayor’s office credits the Healthy Streets Operation Center (HSOC), which conducts encampment removals, conflicting data indicates that revenue from the November 2018 Proposition C—”Our City, Our Home”—is in fact responsible. On the same day, the Mayor submitted an amicus brief in support of overturning the Grants Pass case,
To Our Sacramento Readers
Hello San Francisco! Hello Sacramento!
The Sacramento Homeless Organizing Committee (SHOC)_ is now publishing news and views from the capital city in San Francisco’s Street Sheet. SHOC has published Homeward Street Journal, our local homeless paper, for over 20 years, providing thousands of issues for distribution on our city’s street corners and in its encampments, supporting unhoused vendors and uplifting the movement for housing for all.
Now we are moving in a new direction.
Homelessness Should Not Be Normalized for Neurodivergent People
by Jack Bragen
The media has taught Americans to associate “mentally ill” with “homeless,” and vice-versa. Politicians and authorities have brainwashed Americans to believe homelessness is caused by untreated mental disorders or a drug addiction. This is a sadly mistaken way of thinking, and it is promoted so that society can continue subjugating and otherwise mistreating those who are different.
But it is a half-truth. Some people are homeless and have a mental condition or drug addiction,
The Story of 300—Chapter One: Street Survival
by Vinay Pai
This excerpt from “The Eviction Machine” was originally published by our allies in Street Spirit. It tells the story of the life of the man known as 300, a life-long Berkeley resident who died in 2019 after being evicted from his home.
I met 300 sleeping on a bench outside Au Coquelet Café on University Avenue one late night in the summer of 2013.
Invisible: Black and Homeless in San Francisco
by Akir Jackson
To most people, I’m invisible. Just another nameless Black man blending into the urban background. People avoid making eye contact as they walk past me on the sidewalk. Pretend not to notice me shivering on the street corner. But if you look closely at the worn lines on my face, you’ll see the story of how I wound up here.
I’ve been homeless on and off for the past decade since losing my job as a machinist.
We’re Not Mentally Ill People Anymore—Now We’re “The Crazies”
by Jack Bragen
We live in challenging times. Those who have power over others are waging a detestable war against the innocent, against those who merely want to make things better for themselves and their families, and those who make sacrifices to help others.
But those who have power over others cannot win—it is physically impossible. They could destroy all life and everything else, but they can not ultimately maintain a malicious dominance over the innocent.
The Hidden World in the Heart of San Francisco
by Anita Carlos
In the heart of San Francisco, where the glittering skyline meets the harsh reality of urban poverty, I find myself caught in a relentless struggle for survival. The city’s iconic landmarks mask the silent struggles of those living in its shadows. My journey through the underbelly of San Francisco began with the realization that beneath the surface of prosperity, a poignant narrative of poverty unfolded.
The city’s streets,
Why San Franciscans Weren’t Invited to APEC’s Party
by Javier Bremond
Living in San Francisco, it’s fairly obvious that the ruling class has an unfair influence on our daily lives. But for an entire week last month, the City sent a message to its constituents: “We’re throwing a big party, and you’re not invited.” Apparently, the closest comparison in terms of scale and importance is the establishment of the United Nations, which took place here in 1945.
Artwork from the Alameda County Youth Advisory Board
In honor of National Runaway and Homeless Youth Awareness and Prevention Month
Housing is a Human Right by Jace
Long Way Home by Tammy Nguyen
How Are We To Live (Haiku) by Isaac Lira
Flip It! by Anonymous
Blessings Come Down by Adonnia Gray
Covenant House by Ray Corona
From Foster Care to Activism
by Sabrina Abong
My name is Sabrina Catherine Abong. I am 26, a homeowner, a single mom, and a Tesla worker. I want to create systemic change. I first entered foster care when I was 3 years old and re-entered care between the ages of 13 to 21. During my time in care, it was rough going to different homes and high schools. I’ve had the opportunity to have my biological parents come back,