While San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury neighborhood has for decades been an area frequented by homeless youth, Supervisor Dean Preston said on Tuesday that the need to provide services for the young people is more urgent than ever.

On Tuesday, Preston introduced an ordinance at the board of supervisors meeting calling on the city to activate as many as 20 additional housing sites for homeless transitional age youth within a year.

The ordinance would also direct the city to use resources already available to get vulnerable youth off the streets and into supportive environments.

“It’s clear the city needs to act to address homelessness in the Haight-Ashbury neighborhood,” Preston said. “The Haight-Ashbury has long been home to many homeless youth seeking refuge from abusive families, alienating foster care and group home situations, and juvenile justice system involvement.”

Last year, the city’s Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing decided to nix plans for a center for homeless youth in a vacant lot at 730 Stanyan, which would’ve provided bathrooms and staff to connect homeless youth with housing programs and food. The plan was reportedly abandoned due to a lack of funding.

According to Preston, the situation in the area is dire, as an estimated 48 percent of homeless youth in the city were previously displaced from housing before becoming homeless.