Blog Post #3: The Problem

Born and raised in San Francisco all my life for almost two decades, I have seen the rapid change of the city in all aspects such as the culture, landscape, and business. The city of San Francisco  is a beautiful city and is unique in every way, from the architecture of each neighborhood to the many parks and scenic views of the city and the bay.

Sanfrancisco - Uniglobe Travel International

However, there has been an issue affecting most, if not all, of the city for the past several years. The issue that I am concerned with is the homeless crisis that San Francisco is still currently battling. When walking around the city, especially in the South of Market and Tenderloin areas, you are able to see many encampments of the homeless along the sidewalks and in parks. These encampments can spread a couple blocks, and can make walking from one side of the block to another almost impossible. This is due to the many tents and people covering the cement. This issue is a humanitarian emergency and has been a very complex problem to solve for many years. The issue is not just about a lack of housing in the city of San Francisco, but also intersects with the astronomical cost of living, the shortage of finding affordable housing, and the lack of substance abuse and mental health treatment for those who deal with these personal problems.

Court order restricting San Francisco homeless sweeps is officially no more

This problem has been an issue the city's government has tried to solve, but to no success. The city tries its best to be clear and update its strategies to solve this homeless problem, through the The Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing (HSH) website and survey. They have placed focus on a “Homeless Response System” that tries and balances permanent supportive housing and temporary shelters. Outside of the city government, city organizations such as the Coalition on Homelessness fight for the rights of those who are living on the streets. They want more than for the city to clear the streets, but to come up with valuable solutions to house the unhoused. Covering the city’s homeless crisis, the SF Chronicle, which is the city's main newspaper, seeks to cover and update residents on the homeless problems. In addition, the dive into personal stories of those affected by homelessness, exemplifying their struggles. This problem is important to me and to others because homelessness is obviously a problem that no one should have to deal with, and fundamental human rights should be upheld. 


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