“Poverty is violent, and constantly sweeping folks does nothing to solve homelessness,” said Lukas Illa, an organizer with San Francisco’s Coalition on Homelessness. Last week, San Francisco Mayor London Breed said the city would begin issuing citations and other penalties to people who refuse offers of shelter. “Those citations can get progressive, and they could lead to a misdemeanor if people refuse services,” she said. “We are going to make them so uncomfortable on the streets of San Francisco that they have to take our offer. According to a 2022 National League of Cities study, California can only offer year-round beds to about 21% of its unhoused residents.

Source: The Guardian July 25, 2024 17:21 UTC