Homelessness is Top of Mind for Many Californians. Why Does the Proposed Budget Eliminate Funding for It?

by Contributing Author

by Marisa Kendall, CalMatters

California’s main source of homelessness funding would drop from $1 billion last year to $0 this year in the proposed state budget.

State leaders have been talking a lot lately about cleaning up California’s homeless encampments and moving people indoors. But the tentative budget they’ve drawn up for the upcoming year has many asking: With what money?

Both Gov. Gavin Newsom and the Legislature have proposed gutting the state’s main source of homelessness funding in the 2025-26 budget,

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When a Doctor’s Exam is Part of a Cosmic Test

by Contributing Author

by Jack Bragen

Recently, I went to see a doctor in my new neighborhood, one where most of the population is high-income. When I got to the waiting room, I happened to spot a couple of people who are likely on Medicare as I am. It was comforting to realize that I would not stand out as the only economic misfit. 

Everyone seems to be ahead of me in life and can handle a faster pace than I can.

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Love and Hate: My 51 Years Living in the “Fillmoe”

by Contributing Author

by Queennandi

Originally published in Poor Magazine

I was born in the Western Addition aka Fillmoe in the early 70’s, and my spirit has been residing here ever since. In the earlier years it was a beautifully diverse community with Asian, African, Filipino, Latina and Pacific Islander families, with a few sprinkles of European immigrants. The community got along well amongst those who called Fillmore home.

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Mayor Lurie’s RV Plan Proposes Displacement and Criminalization Amidst Burgeoning Housing Crisis

by Contributing Author

Mayor Daniel Lurie announced legislation to ban RVs and enforce a citywide two-hour parking restriction for large vehicles, leading to fines, towing, displacement and eviction of those vulnerable San Franciscans experiencing poverty and homelessness. The plan falls significantly short in ensuring those living in RVs have the dignity of a home.  

Mayor Lurie’s plan, part of the “Breaking the Cycle” initiative, leads with enforcement, imposing a two-hour parking limit on large vehicles citywide.

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SF City Budget Raids Prop. C Homeless Family Funds. What’s Next?

by Contributing Author

by Lupe Velez

Mayor Daniel Lurie unveiled a proposal for San Francisco’s city budget for the next two fiscal years in a May 30 video statement. 

While funding for the San Francisco Police, Sheriff and Fire departments and the District Attorney’s office is preserved—or even increased—nonprofits with City contracts face $200 million in cuts in the next two years. These include several groups that deliver services like homelessness prevention,

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A Day in the Life of a Psychiatric Patient

by Contributing Author

by Jack Bragen

The treatment system has always been a “frenemy” to me as a mental health treatment recipient. I need these services, partly because of how the socioeconomic part of our infrastructure functions. I could not live without having money from Social Security, and having my medical care and psychiatric treatment paid for. In a “utopian” society, this might not be the case, but unfortunately we don’t live in Utopia. 

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Compton’s

by Contributing Author

by Cal Lerchi

Do my shoes soak in Trans Magic

At the intersection of Turk + Taylor?

Spirits of queens, queers, outcasts

Throwing shit at pigs who try to police our joy

Try to extinguish our flames that burn together

More radiant than the sun

Does trans magic last?

When the building that used to nourish glorious queers

Is now owned by a massive for-profit corporation

And it is not a coincidence

That GEO Group also imprisons our kin

Along the U.S.-Mexico border

To steamroll over trans history—

Our transcestors

With this disgusting corporation—GEO Group …

Will we support this?

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“I Could See Pieces of the Puzzle But Not the Big Picture”

by Contributing Author

By Adriane Dietrich

Lea’s transition began four years ago. After more than four decades, it had become clear to her what had been bubbling under the surface all that time. She offers insights into her own development and society’s responsibility towards members of the LGBTQ+ community.

Trott-war: I’m very excited to hear what you have to say. Before we get started, a simple but very important question: How are you?

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Notes from a Texas Prison: Billy’s Story

by Contributing Author

by Billy Thomas

EDITOR’S NOTE: Street Sheet is reprinting this piece from the 2024 Pride issue. Billy Thomas, an inmate at the John Wynne Unit of Texas State Prison in Huntsville sent multiple letters to ABO Comix in Oakland, California throughout 2022 and 2023. Street Sheet adapted these letters into a single piece, editing for brevity and clarity.

I am a 51-year-old person, a two-spirited transgender. I am a survivor of mental and sexual abuse from my time in the care of Texas Child Protective Services,

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Sober Living in Permanent Supportive Housing: How Exactly Does That Work?

by Contributing Author

by Jordan Wasilewski

In springtime of 2025, the conversation around sober and recovery housing continues from San Francisco to Sacramento. Matt Haney’s Assembly Bill 255 allows cities and counties to set aside up to 25% of state homelessness funds for sober living quarters. The set-aside is not required: It’s merely an ask for permission to allocate funding for up to 25% of permanent supportive housing units of funds for sober living,

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