by Poor Magazine
Chocollo
I’ve been living on the streets for 15 years, suffering from unemployment and having no family. This is how I have met many people in the same or similar situations. I hope that one day I can resolve my situation and have peace in my life. I miss my family and my children very much, but I haven’t seen them since I’ve been on the verge of becoming homeless.
Crystal Alley, one of the “unhoused”
I have a friend named (Lindsay) who has a condition called congestive heart failure. One of the things that happens with this condition is swelling of the extremities. I also have a condition that causes similar swelling. Due to an injury so, with that being said, I came to visit my friend, and we decided to take off our shoes and sit on the curb in the sun. We were in Fresno, California, and there is a team called the HEART (Homeless Engagement Assistance Response Team) team that is supposed to go around and help “homeless” people relocate to shelter. Now, what they are commissioned to do as officers of the law brought to be in a special unit with a specific purpose of “helping the homeless.” What their help is, is strong-arm robbery and assault. They pull up with a dump truck as officers of the law with physical violence and arrest the homeless. This incident was a direct reflection of abuse of power. So, I said my friend and I were sitting on the curb in front of a private business who had given us permission to be in front of their restaurant. My friend was sitting on the curb with shoes off and the “HEART,” or HURT Team arrived. I was told to “get the fuck up” by an officer of the Fresno PD who was riding shotgun. In the dump truck, another officer got out of the pickup truck. And said and I quote “Didn’t you hear me bitch? get the fuck up.” I did not move. I was then grabbed and jerked to my feet. My friend, Lindsay, saw what was happening and tried to stand. Another officer made a move towards her while the third officer grabbed our purses and shoes and threw them in the dumpster. My friend tried to grab the one bag she had containing cans she was going to turn in. She was pushed from behind by the third officer, a corporal denoted by the stripes on his uniform. That cop pushed her so hard she fell and landed on her face losing her three front teeth. They also took the cans and threw them in the trash. They then ticketed us for not having ID. And informed us if we were on the property that was owned by the City of Fresno, we were trespassing. Now what happened was bad. However, it gets way the fuck worse. We have got to stop the abuse of power and perversion of the law.
Catalin Stef
The City Board of Supervisors are looking at legislation in San Francisco, formerly Yelamu, in July 2026, to end supportive housing in the city for folks caught using various substances.
Well, my opinion, as of the last couple of years on this topic, stays the same. Housing first, what one uses, for whatever reason, (is) their responsibility.
Pamela Bullock
I’m a fifth generation SF native. I’ve been through the shady system since being a teenager due to my parents’ heavy heroin addiction. I was blessed with land; a curse too, best of “both worlds.” I lived and grew up with mom and dads on O’Farrell and Larkin (streets), but was blessed with an awesome education. I attended Catholic school my entire life due to Grandma being wealthy when I was growing up—a real estate agent—she lived at the top of Pacific Heights. I’m writing about something I want to say. I’m grateful for and can’t forget to say how grateful I am, truly. A few months ago, I found myself once again homeless, living in my Mini Coop. I was smoking fentanyl! I was sick and tired of living like that—I was smoking fent for eight years. I decided to go to jail on purpose after many attempts at detoxing out here. I hadn’t been to jail in 8+ years, and I knew it was what was needed to stop—handcuffs, sad to say. I stayed for 14 days. My dog went to a dog jail. I’ve been clean now for 90 days on the 15th of month. I was helped several times by Tiny, and I can’t say how much it meant, keeping me safe inside. After jail I was stuck homeless, NO CAR! I found a place called Hummingbird on Valencia (Street) and have lived there now for 2 ½ months. I’m doing great. My housing voucher was approved. I’ll be moving as soon as I get my place! I owe a big thanks to tiny and Hummingbird Valencia. They offer food, hot food, showers, tv… (a place) to chill, computer access. It’s a great place.
Junebug Kealoha
Housing is a human right. Housing is recovery, recovery from homelessness. From loss. Housing needs in SF should not be pivoted against each other. We have a housing crisis. Housing first helps people have stability. This stability is vital to overcome addictions in life that can lead us to use substances to cope.
Supervisor Matt Dorsey wants to create a new form of city-funded housing that evicts tenants for drug use in permanent supportive housing. These proposed changes can cause more evictions and isolation to getting support. I believe as someone who is still recovering from homelessness and a child of parents who used drugs, getting housing was always and is always the problem. The rents in SF are way too high. A one-bedroom right near City Hall is over $4,000, where the ordinances, the po’ folks don’t always have options. PSH became the only option. When PSH has conditions of drug-free, it is not meeting people where they are at. Reduction support groups and contingency inside of PSH is meeting people where they are at. Saturday Night, I’m alive and the Supportive Housing Prevention Network currently is providing the community with education and resources. Housing First is the path to recover. Community is the hope to overcome.
Cirilo Nicola, Potrero Del Sol Park
The fascists removed the trash can because they don’t want to see us there, they are very discriminatory.
Mario E-M
It’s nothing more than ignorance; we can only pity those seders. Some are unfortunate, and a few are opportunists.
A human being who violates or infringes upon the moral or physical integrity of another human being reaches their fate. He who has manipulated or deceived. Product of the manipulation of very little analytical capacity, of a social psychology job that works in the mass media and lately in social networks. What to do? Realize and prepare at all levels to confront ideological manipulation schemes.
