Supervisor David Campos Statement on Mission Homeless Encampments
Monday September 12, 2016
Supervisor David Campos Statement on Mission Homeless Encampments
Dear Mission community,
Thank you for your patience in dealing with the ongoing homelessness and encampment crisis that is taking place in San Francisco, and particularly in the Mission. I know you are fed up and frustrated with the situation on our streets. I want you to know that I hear you and agree that the current state of affairs is untenable.
Encampments are not a solution to homelessness. They are unhealthy for homeless people, and they are unhealthy for the residents and businesses around them. Addressing homelessness and encampments is my number one priority during these last four months I am in office as your Supervisor.
My office has been working on this issue for years. We helped open the first Navigation Center in the city a year and a half ago, a pop-up low-threshold shelter aimed at sheltering people living in encampments. We also helped create the first LGBT adult shelter in the country. We then passed a State of Emergency on Homelessness, followed by legislation requiring that the City open 6 more Navigation centers citywide. We knew that we needed to build alternative places for people to stay if we were going to see a difference on our streets, since our current shelter system is beyond capacity.
Over the past month, my office has worked closely with the newly created Department of Homelessness to ensure that the Mission is the top priority for their Encampment Resolution Team (ERT), a team whose focus is getting people out of encampments and into shelters, Navigation Centers and permanent housing.
This process for encampment resolution is already underway. The current focus is the encampment around the Pacific Gas and Electric facility at 19th and Folsom. After that, the Encampment Resolution Team will address North East Mission between 16th-19th street, from S. Van Ness to Bryant Street. Efforts will then be focused on encampments from 14th street to 16th street, and South Van Ness to Bryant Street.
I think it’s important to understand why homeless people come to the Mission. Not only has there been an increase in homelessness citywide, but with the enormous amount of development in the Bayview area, homeless people have been forced out of the abandoned buildings where they used to seek shelter. Many of these people have come to the Mission, which is warm, flat, transit accessible, and has many non-residential areas.
My office will continue to work closely with the Department of Homelessness and the Encampment Resolution Team in order to address this crisis.
Sincerely,
David Campos, District 9 Supervisor
Contact to report encampments:
Jason M. Albertson, LCSW, Encampment Resolution Team Lead
Email Jason at: reporthomelessencampments@sfgov.org
*Please give as much information as you can about the location and size of the encampment you are reporting. An address, and cross street are essential.
*To report homeless individuals that need immediate health or mental health services, please contact the Homeless Outreach Team (HOT Team) at 311. Report life safety concerns to 911.
