Street Homelessness Down 21% in District 5
The 2024 Point-in-Time (PIT) Count—which chronicles how many unhoused people there are across San Francisco every 2 years—was released today, and it shows something pretty amazing: a 21% drop in unsheltered homelessness in District 5, going from 1,225 to 975 since the 2022 PIT Count.
We are proud that the solutions supported by our office’s work have helped 250 people in our district exit street homelessness. Last September, we pushed for legislation that urged the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing to quickly fill at least half of the 1,000 empty units in the City’s permanent supportive housing. Thanks to this, by December 2023, the City had rolled out innovative programs to fill those vacancies, including the Street to Home program, filling up more than 300 vacant units.
The reduction in street homelessness was also thanks to real investments in prevention and supportive housing, funded by progressive tax measures like 2018’s Prop. C (Our City, Our Home) and 2020’s Prop. I. These measures have helped expand right-to-counsel programs, rent relief, and permanent supportive housing, leading to real change by preventing displacement and boosting supportive services.
But now, this progress is under threat due to the Mayor’s recent approach of aggressive sweeps and criminalization of the poor. These actions could undo the gains we've seen in the PIT count and they certainly don’t tackle the causes of homelessness. It feels like these sweeps are more about politics, trying to make homelessness disappear from public view before the upcoming election.
To really tackle the housing and behavioral health crisis, the City needs to act urgently to fill every empty unit while also expanding our shelter and supportive housing options. Homes and care are the real solutions, not short-term political stunts. There’s still a lot of work to do, especially for homeless families.
Read more:
New Point-In-Time Count data shows shifting homelessness | SF Examiner | August 14, 2024
In community,
Dean Preston, District 5 Supervisor
