Despite spending a lot of money, people experiencing homelessness in San Francisco’s population has grown, raising concerns about how the city is handling the issue and the misuse of funds by some nonprofits.
San Francisco Homelessness Rises Despite Increased Spending
According to the published article in The Daily Signal, Americans experiencing homelessness in San Francisco have grown by 7% over the past two years even though the city has spent a lot of money to try to fix the problem. In January 2024, a count of 8,328 homeless people was found more than in 2022. This increase in people experiencing homelessness in San Francisco reverses the decline from 2019 to 2022. The spending on homelessness in San Francisco went up to $676 million in the 2022-23 fiscal year compared to $284 million in 2018-19 showing a significant effort to address the issue.
Despite the overall rise in homelessness in San Francisco, the number of people living on the streets fell by 1% because the city has been working to provide more housing. Since 2019, the number of beds available has increased by 28%. However, more people are now living in vehicles and shelters increasing 37% and 39% respectively. Mayor London Breed said the city is trying hard to move people into shelters and housing to make the city safer and healthier. This homeless in San Francisco issue is crucial for her, especially with her upcoming reelection campaign and her high unfavorability ratings.
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8,328 Homeless in San Francisco: 7% Increase Despite $676 Million in Funding and Efforts to Combat Crisis! (PHOTO: Bloomberg)
Rising Numbers Prompt $6.4 Billion State Initiative Amid Local Criticisms and Slow Housing Growth
Furthermore, homelessness in San Francisco is part of a bigger problem in California where homelessness has gone up by 20% since 2019. The state has approved $6.4 billion to build housing and treatment beds for homeless in San Francisco with mental illnesses. To help with the housing shortage Mayor Breed started the “Housing for All” plan aiming to build 82,000 new homes in the next eight years. However, the city only approved seven new housing permits early in 2024 and built just 2,024 new housing units last year, the lowest in a decade. The city’s heavy reliance on nonprofits to handle homelessness has also faced criticism, with some funds allegedly being misused making it harder to solve this serious problem.
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