The Continuing Problem of Homeless Encampments in San Francisco

Styrian Beaufort on Feb 18 13:57:47

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From a Twitter thread by San Franciscan activist and entrepreneur, Michelle Tandler.

I have been passing through this area at all hours for weeks, but have yet to see a person. If the owner of the belongings has left, how would San Francisco government know? What is the end game/strategy here regarding encampments...?

Is this not theft of public space?

I posted this to @sf311 a few weeks ago and just received a notification that the case has been resolved.

It has not been.

I believe that public space must be protected for use by the public. City sidewalks, medians, and lookout spots - they should not be simply left "for the taking." When we allow people to build encampments in public areas we allow theft.

Recently, the question on my mind has been - when is it ethically right to allow theft?

If someone has nowhere to sleep (and our city does not provide many shelter beds) - is their decision to "steal" sidewalk space warranted? That is the view of the courts. It makes sense. This is one of the reasons that I so strongly believe we need a right-to-shelter law. There is no reason whatsoever that with a budget as large as California has, we cannot provide basic food, clothing & shelter to those who need it. With the status quo - we are almost forcing people to commit theft. Especially in San Francisco, where our "harm reduction" strategy pushes people deeper and deeper into their addictions, how can we expect people to spend their cash payments on housing?

One noteworthy thing about SF these days - you will *never* see a tent pitched in a park. I believe the city enforces the no camping laws there. The rationale is that pitching a tent in a park robs the public of much-needed public space (many apartment dwellers here). If the city enforces the parks' laws, why does it have a different policy for sidewalks? Before Covid, we did not have tents & encampments as we do now. This situation is a result of our current administration and its policies. The current leaders clearly believe it's reasonable for individuals to come here and take over a portion of the sidewalk. If they believed otherwise, we would be hearing about it. Ultimately, I think it will take new leadership for things to change.

I want to learn more about how public space works. Who owns the sidewalk & who is it for? Who is responsible for its upkeep & maintenance? If a homeowner must fix a crevice in front of the house, should they protect the area, too? Any and all insight is much appreciated.

Thanks again to Michelle for her insights on San Francisco's homeless, drug, and crime problems. I have admired her Twitter threads on these topics for quite a while now. Michelle brings an authentic concern for her fellow man and beloved city, and, she is bold enough to seek real solutions to these problems in a place where this kind of thinking is anathema to the local power structure. ----S