by Lupe Velez
On Tuesday, September 30, the SF Public Press hosted a screening of the documentary “No Place Like Home,” directed by Davey Schaupp and funded by Humans for Housing at the Roxie Theater in the Mission District. The film explored the stories of three seniors who entered homelessness later in life, with several housing and policy experts examining the crisis leading to the surge in adults over 50 entering homelessness nationwide. The film weaved the seniors’ personal stories into experts’ examination of the affordable housing crisis, diminished social support, the speculative housing market and predatory lending practices.
The SF Public Press partnered with the Coalition on Homelessness to organize the event, which included a panel discussion with the Coalition’s Public Speakers’ Bureau after the screening.
Both organizations were interested in uplifting the panelists’ voices. The event was a great opportunity for Armando Bravo Martinez, a 60-year-old community organizer and activist with the Coalition, to speak about experiencing homelessness as a senior. Joining Armando on the panel were Joe Wilson, executive director of Hospitality House, and Amy Fairweather, director of policy of the homeless veterans’ organization Swords to Plowshares. Martinez was able to share his story about the barriers to accessing housing and social services he faced in his life as he aged. Armando lost his job and his partner, leaving him in a precarious situation. He moved to San Francisco from New York, and was able to find stable work as a caregiver. After his client died, Armando was once again left without a job and housing. He used his last $3,000 to purchase the RV where he currently resides.
Martinez’s living situation is complicated by the City’s constant attack on RV residents by towing vehicles, imposing high fees, and most recently, instituting a citywide two-hour parking ban. He emphasized how facing homelessness at his age has put an enormous stress on his physical and mental health, but said that being in community with RV residents and sharing his story continues to give him hope for change.
The panelists also discussed the dynamics at play that perpetuate San Francisco’s homelessness crisis, including the rise of billionaire-backed policies, and slashed funding for social safety nets on the local, state and national levels.
The panelists expressed their hopes for the future, while emphasizing the importance of organizing, protecting one another and sharing art and stories.
The event continued at the Eric Quezada Center for Culture and Politics, around the corner from the theater, as part of an observance called “Good Neighbor Week,” where audience members and organizers moved the conversation, built community and fostered solidarity in the face of unprecedented challenges.
