Supervisor Introduces Legislation to House Homeless Youth in the Haight

SAN FRANCISCO — Supervisor Dean Preston introduced an ordinance at today’s Board of Supervisors meeting calling for the City to activate at least 20 additional transitional housing for homeless transitional age youth (TAY) in the Haight Ashbury neighborhood within a year.

“The City is just sitting on funding for housing and services for homeless youth in the Haight and we can’t drag our feet any longer,” said Supervisor Dean Preston. “We are introducing this ordinance to direct the Administration to use the resources we already have to help vulnerable youth get into a safe, supportive environment.”

Despite having over $10 million in uncommitted funds for bridge housing for homeless youth, the Administration rejected calls by the community to purchase the Red Victorian Hotel, a 21-room vacant building on Haight Street for homeless TAY bridge housing. This came on the heels of the Administration’s abandonment of a promised drop-in center for TAY services at 730 Stanyan, which was shut down by the City’s Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing two weeks before it was set to open.

An estimated 48% of homeless youth were displaced from housing in San Francisco before experiencing homelessness, and the Haight Ashbury has long been home to many homeless youth seeking refuge from abusive families, alienating foster care and group home situations, and juvenile justice system involvement. These young people encounter constant threats to both their physical and mental health while on the streets.

Early in the pandemic, despite a lawsuit by opponents, the Haight-Ashbury neighborhood hosted the City’s most successful safe sleeping village, which provided approximately 44 spaces for people to safely shelter in place outdoors with access to services, bathrooms and showers. The site was extended twice, and then wound down at the end of June 2021, with residents being moved to permanent supportive housing, SIP hotels, or other safe sleeping sites.

"The neighborhood overwhelmingly supports services and housing for those on the streets of the Haight,” said Christin Evans, resident and small business owner in the neighborhood. “We came together for the Safe Sleeping Site early in the pandemic and it was a huge success. But recently, a handful of anti-homeless voices who have the mayor's ear have obstructed solutions. I hope this ordinance will change that dynamic."

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