Columns

My wife and I arrived in San Francisco in 1971. Since at least that time, getting the homeless into housing or shelters has been a “concern” or a “priority” for every administration. Given the latest point-in-time count & Survey of San Francisco’s homeless, it has been a losing battle so far.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) definition of homelessness includes only those people living on the streets, in vehicles, or in temporary shelters. Using the HUD definition, the point-in-time count & Survey conducted in January 2019, found 8,011 homeless people in San Francisco, a 6.8% increase over 2017. 

San Francisco has traditionally used a more expansive categorization that also counts people without a permanent address who are in jail, in the hospital, or in rehabilitation facilities. Using the San Francisco definition of homeless, the point-in-time count & Survey found 9,764 homeless people in San Francisco. This is an increase of 30% in just two years. 

San Franciscans are concerned about homelessness, too. According to a San Francisco Chamber of Commerce annual City Beat poll conducted in January, 64% ranked homelessness as their top issue, compared to 60% in 2017. NIMBYism, however, is prevalent as, for example, the ongoing opposition to the Embarcadero Navigation Center; when residents in the affluent Forest Hill neighborhood blocked an affordable-housing project that would have included permanent supportive housing units for the homeless; and opposition to a proposed parking lot for the 35% of homeless living out of their vans or RVs. 

Navigation Centers, by the way, are short‐term, low‐threshold, service intensive shelters for people experiencing long‐term street homelessness. Access to Navigation Centers is determined on a case-by-case basis by the San Francisco Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing. 

San Francisco has had some success in housing or sheltering homeless people or sending homeless to relatives or friends out of California. But according to the 2019 count, 8% of the homeless were living outside of California when they became homeless while 22% were living in another California county when they became homeless. Could it be that as fast as we find housing or temporary shelter for some, new out-of-San Francisco arrivals take their place? 

The homeless lost their housing for several reasons, among them the loss of job (26%), alcohol or drug abuse (18%), eviction (13%), divorce (17%), argument/family or friend asked person to leave (12%), mental health issues (8%), and divorce/separation/breakup (3%). 

Seventy-four percent (74%) report living with one or more health conditions compared to 68% in 2017. These include chronic physical illnesses, physical disabilities, chronic substance abuse, and severe mental problems. Sixty-nine percent (69%) reported that their condition limited their ability to hold a job, live in stable housing, or take care of themselves, as compared to 53% in 2017. Note that an approved ballot measure to overhaul the city’s mental health care system was pulled, I assume, to allow for more research and to get more input.  

The Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing’s 2018-19 budget is $284 million.This does not include money that other departments, such as Public Works (with its $374 million budget) and Public Health ($2.37 billion), spend on health care and street cleanups. The true figure, according to the city’s budget analyst, is $380 million. 

Under Proposition C, which the voters approved last November, will impose an extra tax on San Francisco’s wealthiest corporations about 2.5% of the 13,000 businesses that pay the gross receipts tax. It could bring in $250 to $300 million. The total amount would go to homelessness services and housing. At least 25% of Proposition C money would go to the Department of Public Health for mental health services for homeless people “severely impaired by behavioral health issues.” However, two California business interest groups and an anti-tax organization have filed a lawsuit arguing that the measure should not have passed by a simple majority vote. 

With new ideas and some successes, the homeless problem seems as intractable as ever in San Francisco with a highly visible crisis on our streets juxtaposed with million dollar homes and booming downtown technology companies. Obviously, homelessness is a problem that needs to be addressed, but is throwing more money at the problem the answer?