FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Tuesday, November 13, 2018
Contact: Mayor’s Office of Communications, 415-554-6131

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MAYOR LONDON BREED, SUPERVISOR VALLIE BROWN, AND SUPERVISOR AHSHA SAFAÍ ANNOUNCE PROGRAM TO ADDRESS VEHICULAR HOMELESSNESS

Data-driven, citywide program will include a new team focused on resolving vehicle encampments, conducting a needs assessment of people living in vehicles, and exploring a vehicle triage center and a storage facility where people can keep their vehicles while they receive services

San Francisco, CA — Mayor London N. Breed, Supervisor Vallie Brown, and Supervisor Ahsha Safaí today announced a data-driven, citywide program to address the growth of vehicular homelessness in San Francisco. The program will be run by the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing (HSH).

To ensure that San Francisco’s attempt to address vehicular homelessness does not follow the same strategies that failed in other communities, HSH will be exploring solutions that have proven effective at addressing tent encampments and using data to develop appropriate interventions.

Expanding on current efforts, HSH will create a new team focused on resolving vehicle encampments, and work with the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency to prioritize and schedule vehicle encampments for outreach and resolution. HSH will conduct a survey and needs assessment of people living in vehicles to better understand the make-up of the population and what services are needed to help those living in vehicles on the streets.

HSH will study the opening of a vehicle triage facility that would provide a temporary location where people living in vehicles could come to be assessed and connected to housing and other service resources. HSH will also explore opening a vehicle storage facility where people who are receiving services at shelters, navigation centers, or treatment programs can store their vehicles, which would remove a significant barrier to accepting services.

“Living in vehicles is not healthy and is not sustainable for our communities,” said Mayor Breed. “As we work to build more housing, including badly need affordable housing, we are looking at effective, practical solutions to help these folks into housing and services.”

Mayor Breed, Supervisors Brown and Safaí, and the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing will work together to ensure that funding for the appropriate vehicular homelessness intervention is included in the FY19-20 City budget. Supervisors Brown and Safaí will also be exploring further legislative solutions to address this issue. 

“After months of research, we are taking an aggressive step to address people living in their vehicles in our City’s neighborhoods,” said Supervisor Safaí. “A vehicular triage lot with wrap around services is a strong step in addressing this long-term problem.”

“I am encouraged by these steps to move forward in the right direction, especially opening up a RV triage space in the City,” said Supervisor Brown. “We’re unpacking a complex issue that requires nuanced solutions, as it deals with health, housing, homelessness, and transportation, involving many City departments. Going forth, my office and Supervisor Safaí will work with Departments and community partners to put forth a comprehensive strategy to re-house our most vulnerable, provide services to those who need it, and better manage the impact of these vehicles on our roads.”

As of October 2018, there were 432 inhabited vehicles in San Francisco, including 313 recreational vehicles (RVs) and 119 passenger cars according to HSH.

“I would like to thank Mayor Breed and Supervisors Brown and Safaí for their leadership and commitment to a thoughtful approach to addressing vehicular homelessness, said Jeff Kositsky, Director of the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing. “Adding a dedicated Vehicular Encampment Resolution Team along with specific resources tailored to address the concerns of the most vulnerable people living in vehicles will improve outcomes for them and our neighborhoods.”   

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