Housing and Homelessness

Tents filled up a safe camping site in a former parking lot at 180 Jones St. in the Tenderloin in June 2020.<ins> (Kevin N. Hume/S.F. Examiner)</ins>

Proposal for major expansion of safe sleeping sites gets cool reception in committee

Supervisor Mandelman calls for creation of more temporary shelter sites to get homeless off streets

 

A tent encampment site for the homeless was set up in the Bayview District in May 2020. <ins>(Kevin N. Hume/S.F. Examiner)</ins>

Safe-sleeping sites meet demands of San Franciscans’ top post-COVID priority

A Place For All would guarantee secure, well-managed locations for people experiencing homelessness

 

Legislation by Supervisor Rafael Mandelman would require The City to add enough new safe camping sites, such as this one at 180 Jones St. in the Tenderloin, to accommodate everyone living on the street. Kevin N. Hume/S.F. Examiner

City would create sites for hundreds of tents under new homeless shelter proposal

Advocates say funding better spent on permanent housing

 

Supervisor Rafael Mandelman and former Supervisor Sandra Lee Fewer stood outside The City’s first Safe Sleeping Village at Civic Center to announce legislation on Oct. 20, 2021 to establish a Safe Sleeping Sites Program for unsheltered people. (Kevin N. Hume/S.F. Examiner)

A “shelter for all” policy sounds good, but it takes resources away from long term solutions

By Jennifer Friedenbach Homelessness is on the brink of exploding in San…

Supervisor Rafael Mandelman and former Supervisor Sandra Lee Fewer stood outside The City’s first Safe Sleeping Village at Civic Center to announce legislation on Oct. 20, 2021 to establish a Safe Sleeping Sites Program for unsheltered people. (Kevin N. Hume/S.F. Examiner)
A proposed project would add dozens of housing units at 468 Turk St. <ins>Kevin N. Hume/S.F. Examiner</ins>

Tenderloin residents push back on group housing project proposals

Advocates call for larger units to draw families, counter large number of SROs in neighborhood

A proposed project would add dozens of housing units at 468 Turk St. <ins>Kevin N. Hume/S.F. Examiner</ins>
(Special to Bay City News/smolaw)

Language and technology barriers limit access to state rental relief program

Housing activists in San Francisco called on California officials Tuesday to make…

(Special to Bay City News/smolaw)
The Hotel Diva in the Tenderloin is one of two hotels The City has acquired for supportive housing during the pandemic. (Kevin N. Hume/S.F. Examiner)

Providing more supportive housing is the best way to heal the homeless

San Francisco must act quickly to acquire more hotels and other sites

The Hotel Diva in the Tenderloin is one of two hotels The City has acquired for supportive housing during the pandemic. (Kevin N. Hume/S.F. Examiner)
Shireen McSpadden, executive director of the Department of Disability and Aging Services, is set to become director of the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing. (Courtesy photo)

Mayor Breed appoints new head of Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing

Shireen McSpadden, executive director of Department of Disability and Aging Services, to start May 1

Shireen McSpadden, executive director of the Department of Disability and Aging Services, is set to become director of the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing. (Courtesy photo)
(Kevin N. Hume/S.F. Examiner)

Do the Math. Filling vacant apartments without building more homes won’t solve SF’s housing shortage

By Lisa Zahner San Francisco Supervisor Dean Preston recently declared vacant apartments…

(Kevin N. Hume/S.F. Examiner)
A new director is expected to be named soon for the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing. (Kevin N. Hume/S.F. Examiner)

City expected to announce new homeless department head shortly

Mayor London Breed is expected to announce a new director for the…

A new director is expected to be named soon for the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing. (Kevin N. Hume/S.F. Examiner)
(Kevin N. Hume/S.F. Examiner)

Supervisors call for rent relief funds to target small landlords, affordable housing providers

With $54.4 million in federal rent relief funds to distribute, several San…

(Kevin N. Hume/S.F. Examiner)
Hospitality House is among the homeless service providers making changes for the better during the pandemic. (Kevin N. Hume/S.F. Examiner)

We need a new kind of leadership to address homelessness after the pandemic

By Mary Kate Bacalao Leading San Francisco’s Department of Homelessness and Supportive…

Hospitality House is among the homeless service providers making changes for the better during the pandemic. (Kevin N. Hume/S.F. Examiner)
Sam Dodge, a former deputy director for the San Francisco Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing, is taking over as the department’s new interim director. (Jessica Christian/S.F. Examiner)

Interim head of city homelessness department moves to new post

Former deputy director Sam Dodge to lead HSH until a permanent replacement is selected

Sam Dodge, a former deputy director for the San Francisco Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing, is taking over as the department’s new interim director. (Jessica Christian/S.F. Examiner)
Low-income residents of Pacifica say they have no option but to live in RVs, while city officials call an RV parking ban a safety measure. (Courtesy ACLU of Northern California)

City of Pacifica sued for oversized vehicle parking ban

A coalition of civil rights groups and individuals who live in their…

Low-income residents of Pacifica say they have no option but to live in RVs, while city officials call an RV parking ban a safety measure. (Courtesy ACLU of Northern California)
Supervisor Dean Preston speaks at a news conference outside the Muni Kirkland Yard announcing Muni will not be increasing fares on Wednesday, June 10, 2020. (Kevin N. Hume/S.F. Examiner)

Preston calls vacancies ‘the single biggest source of potential housing in San Francisco’

Supervisor calls for hearing on ways to assess and tap into unoccupied residential units

Supervisor Dean Preston speaks at a news conference outside the Muni Kirkland Yard announcing Muni will not be increasing fares on Wednesday, June 10, 2020. (Kevin N. Hume/S.F. Examiner)
After the pandemic hit, San Francisco installed handwashing stations intended to serve the homeless, but advocates say more permanent water stations are needed, especially in the Tenderloin. David Mamaril Horowitz/Special to S.F. Examiner

Survey finds homeless residents have insufficient access to clean water

Homeless residents in San Francisco struggle to access clean water for drinking…

After the pandemic hit, San Francisco installed handwashing stations intended to serve the homeless, but advocates say more permanent water stations are needed, especially in the Tenderloin. David Mamaril Horowitz/Special to S.F. Examiner
Mayor London Breed and Supervisor Rafael Mandelman announced the launch of a city conservatorship program in 2019. Kevin N. Hume/ S.F. Examiner

Conservatorship off to a slow start with just one person in court-ordered treatment

Officials expect program to expand now that setup is complete

Mayor London Breed and Supervisor Rafael Mandelman announced the launch of a city conservatorship program in 2019. Kevin N. Hume/ S.F. Examiner
A Muni N-Judah shuttle bus passes UCSF Parnassus on Irving Street. (Kevin N. Hume/S.F. Examiner)

How can UCSF house its new workers?

By Fernando Martí and Peter Cohen Healthcare infrastructure has long been a…

A Muni N-Judah shuttle bus passes UCSF Parnassus on Irving Street. (Kevin N. Hume/S.F. Examiner)
Mayor London Breed speaks at a groundbreaking ceremony for an affordable housing complex at the former Plumbers Union building at 53 Colton St. on Thursday, March 4, 2021. (Sebastian Miño-Bucheli / Special to the S.F. Examiner)

City breaks ground on supportive housing project in “Hub” neighborhood

City officials broke ground Thursday on a supportive housing project that is…

Mayor London Breed speaks at a groundbreaking ceremony for an affordable housing complex at the former Plumbers Union building at 53 Colton St. on Thursday, March 4, 2021. (Sebastian Miño-Bucheli / Special to the S.F. Examiner)
(Kevin N. Hume/S.F. Examiner)

Study finds housing homeless in hotels during pandemic eases burden on hospitals

Amina Khan Los Angeles Times San Francisco researchers have found an effective…

(Kevin N. Hume/S.F. Examiner)