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Meanest city #7 San Francisco Ca
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Number 7 on the meanest cities list belongs to that scenic tourist destination, San Francisco California. “I left my heart in San Francisco” often becomes ‘I left my homeless encampment in Golden Gate Park’..jpg)
San Francisco government is part of the problem, not the solution. In the time frame from 2004 to 2008, San Francisco spent $10M on prosecuting 56,567 “quality of life” citations. These range from sleeping in the park, to sleeping in a doorway, to panhandling. That much money can provide supportive housing to 492 people, put 300 people in a three month detox center, or pay the salaries of 113 psychiatric outreach workers. Michael Bien of Religious Witness with Homeless People explained, “[a] quality-of-life citation begins an extremely expensive process . . . that includes police officers, police clerks, court commissioners, and court deputies. Then there’s scheduling, copying, filing, data entry, testifying, booking, reporting, and completing voluminous forms.”
Then, there is the problem that anyone with an outstanding ticket can’t receive social services they would otherwise be entitled to. Criminalizing homelessness is not a solution; it’s a way for law enforcement and the courts to justify their existence. It makes them feel like they’re doing something.
Affordable housing in San Francisco is another problem. The problem is, there is no affordable housing. When someone makes $26 per hour at a job there, and is still considered below the poverty level due to high rents, that is a problem. When rooming houses charge $600 a week for a room with no private bathroom, and the cock roaches are the size of mice, that is a problem. When it is difficult to even shut your door because the lock is broken and the door is warped, and you’re paying that kind of money, that is a problem. The city would be much better off (and look better for trying to help the homeless) if they took some of these rooming houses and refurbished them with the money they waste on “quality of life” violations, and turned them into shelters or supportive housing.
In order to discourage people from giving spare change directly to homeless people, and
to keep the panhandlers out of sight, San Francisco’s parking department donated
“homeless parking meters.” The only problem was that their slogan was psychologically an oxymoron. “Be a part of the change, don’t give change” is a dual edged message. The part of the blade that wins out the most is, ‘don’t give change’ (to the meter).
San Francisco may be nice, it may be scenic, it may be friendly, but not if you’re homeless there.
For more information: Religious Witness with Homeless People, A Study To Determine the Extent and Cost of the Enforcement of ‘ Quality of Life’ Ordinances Against Homeless Individuals in San Francisco during the Newsom Administration (January 2004-March 2008), available at http://www.religiouswitnesshome.org
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