A Publication of the Coalition on Homelessness
by Michael Inman
San Francisco calls itself a “Sanctuary City.” In City Hall, that word is a shield. But on the corners of Sixth and Mission streets, or in the shadows of Dore Alley, “sanctuary” has a much darker meaning. If you ask the people living on the pavement, they’ll tell you the truth: San Francisco isn’t a sanctuary; it’s a city of enforcers.
The Refugees We Ignore
The biggest mistake we make is assuming everyone on the street is there by choice.
story and photo by Cathleen Williams
On February 12, six unhoused plaintiffs and Ktown for All, a community organization, scored a stunning win in federal court against the City of Los Angeles. In Garcia v. City of Los Angeles, the court entered judgment against the City because it had falsified hundreds, if not thousands, of records in order to conceal and justify its practice of trashing the belongings of unhoused people living in encampments across the City pursuant to LA Ordinance 57.11,
By Kristen Hwang/CalMatters
A majority of California’s roughly 180,000 people experiencing homelessness have health insurance through Medi-Cal. Providers predict that many will lose insurance under President Donald Trump’s upcoming work mandates even if they qualify for exemptions.
On a brisk January morning, physician assistant Brett Feldman searched the streets of Los Angeles for patients, knocking on car windows and peering into tents. It was the day after a winter storm had doused the city,
by Lukas Illa
In December 2025, Mayor Daniel Lurie and Board of Supervisors President Rafael Mandelman called for the creation of a Charter Reform Working Group. As referenced in its name, the working group has been tasked to review the City’s 548-page charter and make recommendations to bring to the ballot in November 2026.
While labor and community organizations have sent delegates to the working group,
by Jordan Wasilewski
In San Francisco, the lion’s share of permanent supportive housing (PSH) stock is single room occupancy hotels (SRO). I was placed in one in 2015, and upon moving in realized the room did not include a refrigerator, cooking appliances or adequate food storage. When I inquired about it, a case manager informed me that tenants aged 60 and over were eligible to receive a fridge, and if I wanted one,
