SF Homelessness Plan Announced

<strong>SAN FRANCISCO CARES: ANNOUNCING A COMMUNITY-BASED PLAN TO END HOMELESSNESS</strong>
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San Francisco, February 20, 2002---The Senior Action Network, La Raza Centro Legal, the Mental Health Association, Chinatown Coalition for Better Housing, the Coalition on Homelessness and 39 other organizations and individuals that have experienced homelessness or provide services to homeless people will unveil their community-based plans to combat homelessness.
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"We have spent the last several months gathering input from experts on homelessness-homeless people and organizations that work with them," said LS Wilson, an organizer with the Coalition on Homelessness. While various proposals have been introduced in the last several weeks, none incorporate input from people directly affected by homelessness.
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The community-based plan focuses on solutions to homelessness, including increased emphasis on affordable housing, reform of the homeless bureaucracy so funds are used for direct services rather than staffing and data collection, and implementation of the Continuum of Care Plan, which was endorsed by the Local Homeless Coordinating Board and passed through the Board of Supervisors in September, 2001.
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Other proposals recently introduced punish people for being homeless with jail terms, elimination of cash aid, fingerprinting and laws against panhandling. Meanwhile, 150 families are on the waiting list for shelters and there is a lottery every night for single adult shelters. "While our politicians want to criminalize homeless people, homeless people can hardly be expected to use services that don't exist," said Keith Savage, a homeless San Franciscan.
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The centralization of services and fingerprinting of homeless people is modeled after New York City's shelter system. This year, New York's homeless population reached a new high of 29,000 people. Meanwhile, the City's Department of Homeless Services had a budget of $444 million in 2000, with a staff of 1,697 full time staff people. "We do not want to move toward a New York model. It is expensive, and it aims only to move people out of sight, not to find permanent solutions. Our folks deserve better." said Michael Blecker, Executive Director of Swords to Plowshares, an organization that assists homeless veterans.
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Today's announcement comes in the shadow of recently announced budget cuts, including severe cutbacks in mental health services, supportive housing, and eviction prevention. "We are all very concerned. These budget cuts will contribute to an increase in the number of homeless families and individuals in San Franicsco," commented Viviana Martinez, Program Director of the Homeless Prenatal Program.
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Coalition on Homelessness, San Francisco<br>
468 Turk Street, San Francisco, CA 94102<br>
415/346.3740-voice * 415/7755639-fax<br>
coh [at] sf-homeless-coalition.org<br>
http://www.sf-homeless-coalition.org<br>
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