• InevitableSwing [none/use name]
    hexagon
    ·
    3 months ago

    The housing for the homeless in SF is a disgrace considering how wealthy that area is. From the Bluesky thread a post described the following article as...

    Gee idk is the no food, the no cooking, no personal freedom, or the r*pes that might make people feel safer in their vehicles or on the street?

    I only scanned this article - I'm sure there's (much) more that I didn't see.

    Why do some SF homeless people choose the street over a bed?

    Some complained of the shelters’ unsanitary conditions and dearth of food; residents are served two meals a day, the sites’ employees said. Others, particularly women concerned about sexual assault and harassment, have long complained about security and the lack of freedom to walk in and out of the shelters at will.

    Rules that govern all city shelters forbid, among other “disruptive” behaviors, drug use, destruction of property, and the possession of unchecked weapons. Still, those affected by the sweeps described high rates of theft, crowded and chaotic living quarters, and unsympathetic staff. They criticized the congregate shelters’ lack of privacy, saying they would rather sleep in their own tent than in a room with dozens of strangers.

    [...]

    Across the city’s shelters, residents are required to sign in and out; it’s a simple way to keep track of peoples’ whereabouts while maintaining a low barrier for entry, staff said. Staff can’t force guests to stay or return. But this system, coupled with periodic wellness checks, allows them to monitor how often the shelters’ resources are being used. If someone is gone for more than 48 hours, they forfeit their bed.

    [...]

    The city tries to make the most of the space it has, Cohen said. That means that some buildings, like Next Door, a former car dealership, have their eccentricities. “This reminds me of a prison setup,” said Marshall, the shelter’s housing director, pointing to a small room enclosed by glass at the center of the women’s floor that is used as a common area. “COs would be right here,” Marshall noted, using the acronym for “corrections officers.”