“Nobody called you. Nobody called you. You just know what our stuff looks like, so you come over here and harass us,” said a homeless man interviewed by ABC7 News Bay Area, “It’s just sad.”

In recent months, the City and County of San Francisco have made a concerted effort to address homeless encampments. This follows the Supreme Court 6-3 decision on the City of Grants Pass v. Johnson case which permits cities and local governments to enforce anti-encampment laws. While I agree with the goal of clean and safe streets that everyone can enjoy, we also need to accept the fact our city’s current situation is a direct result of decades of failed policies around housing, mental health, and drug enforcement at the state and local levels. To pivot from the non-enforcement to the enforcement of existing laws must be done in a sensitive and compassionate manner.

“We’re doing everything we can to make it clear to people that our expectation is that you take us up on our offer for services and if you don’t, we want to make it less comfortable for you,” said San Francisco Mayor London Breed. 

When Breed says, “less comfortable for you,” she is referring to the city’s policy that homeless people can be ticketed and arrested if they do not accept the services offered or continue to set up encampments. Naturally, this is a divisive stance especially when thinking about the rights of the homeless. According to San Francisco’s biennial point-in-time count, there are approximately 8,000 homeless living in the city while only eight hundred permanent housing units to house them. Statistics like these highlight the fact our city’s homeless problem is not going to be solved overnight.

So, what is the solution? If San Francisco is going to issue an ultimatum to make homelessness essentially illegal, they must deliver on their end to help the homeless through their struggles. To the city’s credit, the Department of Public Works and outreach organizations have been going to homeless areas to clear out encampments and offer temporary shelters combined with addiction and mental health treatment programs, but it is imperative these efforts continue past the current mayoral election. Faith based and non-profit homeless organizations, such as St. Anthony’s, St. Vincent de Paul Society and Glide are well equipped to help and have done so for years. The city must coordinate with and support the work of these organizations which offer not only shelter and food but also job advice, clothing, showers, and health care to transition homeless back into society. Additionally, state and local politicians must address policies that have been ineffective and only compounded the problem. With everyone working together, I am hopeful our city’s homeless situation will improve and real, long-term solutions will be developed.