Homeless policy failure

Unfinished History

San Francisco homeless policy in action

Photo: Chris Carlsson

A Comprehensive timeline of The City's Anti- Homeless measures, extracted from The Colation On Homelessness' report "Punishing the Poorest: How the Criminalization of Homelessness Perpetuates Poverty in San Francisco

San Francisco homeless policy in action

Photo: Chris Carlsson

Feinstein Administration

1980 City replaced old sit/lie law with sidewalk obstruction ordinance

1981 Ordinance passes banking sleeping in parks between 8 p.m. and 8 a.m.

1984 ordinance passes banning habitation in Vehicles

Agnos Administration

1988 Sweeps in Golden Gate Park, Civic Center and Cole Valley

1989 Mayor Art Agnos orders police chief Frank Jordan to sweep Civic Center Plaza if the 60-100 people living there.

Jordan Administration

1992 Between 1988 and 1995 Food Not /bombs is arrested over 1,000 times for Sharing food.

After the passing of prop 1, The City outlaws aggressive panhandling.

Alford Lake (Part of Golden Gate Park) was closed during evenings.

1993 The Matrix program begins. Between August and December 5th, 602 citations are issued to homeless people for “quality of life” offenses. More citations for sleeping and camping in parks, drinking in public, obstructing the sidewalk and sleeping in doorways were issued in the first month of Matrix than in the five previous years combined. The Transbay Bus Terminal, home to more than 100 homeless people, lock its doors to them. A program serving many of the Terminal’s severely mentally ill residents is shut down.

Virtually every city park is closed at night by the Recreation and Parks commission.

1994 “No parking from 2:00am to 6:00 am” signs are put up by the Port Authority on a street in China Basin where most of the city’s mobile residents reside.

Mayor Jordan declared to the media that armed criminals posing as homeless people are using shopping carts to transport weapons. He ordered the SFPD to arrest people in possession of shopping carts. The people of San Francisco openly express their outrage at this proposal and no one is arrested.

Sit/lie ordinance fails to pass as proposition

11,562 “quality of life” citations are issued.

1995 In August, Mayor Jordan plans Matrix II, “Take back our parks:” a multi-departmental intensive sweep of Golden Gate Park, and uses it as a media moment in his mayoral campaign. Homeless people lose property and are displaced.

14,276: quality of life” citations issued

Brown Administration

1996 50 homeless people are evicted from a lot in Bayview referred to as “Land of the Lost.” The City settles out of court.

SFPD forms “Operation Park.” 2-6 police officers on each shift are assigned to roust and cite homeless people in the streets if their districts.

17,532 “quality of life” citations issued. More citations issued after the highly unpopular “Matrix Program.”

1997 Massive sweeps of Golden Gate Park begin. Mayor Brown asks to borrow the Oakland Police Department night vision - equipped helicopter to locate homeless people illegally sleeping in the park, but is denied. Homeless people lose property are displaced. A special crew of Recreation and Park employees is formed specifically to maintain and identify and destroy encampments across the City.

Caltrans creates a special unit that sweeps homeless people and their property from under bridges and highways.

15,671 “quality of life citations” issued.

1998 “No loitering or sleeping” signs are placed in public parks around the City.

Civic Center plaza is remodeled. The fountain is removed, two children playgrounds are added, and the park is cleared of homeless people. A police officer was assigned to monitor the park.

In a 2015 chronicle article, Brown admits the primary motivation was to rid the area of homeless people.

Board of Supervisors makes it illegal to drink in parks where poor people congregate.

Board of Supervisors passes ordinance making it possible for police to cite people for camping or sleeping in UN and Halide Plazas.

18,590 "quality of life' citations issued.

1999 SFPD officers take photos of homeless people claiming they were "creating a scrapbook." They distribute copies to local merchants ordering them not to sell alcohol to anyone in the pictures because they are "habitual drunkards." City settles lawsuit out of court.

Anti-Panhandling legislation, called "Pedestrian Safety Act" fails to pass

Mayor Brown orders homeless people to be charged with felonies if found in possession of shopping cart. After a week of bad press, he never orders it.

23,871 "quality of life" citations are issued.

2000 City attorney begins prosecuting homeless people in traffic court for "quality of life" offenses. Program costs $250,000 and falls in its stated purpose to connect homeless people with services they supposedly reduce.

Ordinance banning camping in parks passes.

17,954 "quality of life" citations issued.

2001 Ordinance banning loitering near public toilets passes. Benches are moved from UN Plaza in a midnight attack, costing City $24,000 in overtime

Large encampment under Ceasar Chavez Circle overpass is swept by DPW. Property belonging to homeless residents was videotaped being thrown into garbage truck. After the story aired on local news, Mayor Brown claims homeless advocates staged the incident and that the homeless person interviewed by news crews was an actor. 75 homeless people were displaced and many lost property. A fence is erected by Caltrans.

DA starts prosecuting California Penal Code 647 (J), a misdemeanor that makes it illegal; to lodge on public or private property. Homeless people begin to spend more time in jail. 9,134 "quality of life" citations issued.

2002 A large encampment is swept from Berry Street. 100 homeless people are displaced and a fence is erected by DPW. City spends $13,644 on this sweep, not including costs for extensive police presence on the day of the sweep.

DPW starts "Operation Scrubdown" targeting downtown streets and alleys. Workers move on encampments, and then hose them down with nasty chemicals making it impossible to return to that spot. DPW estimates that the operation cost the city $11,000 every day.

Board of Supervisors passes new law prohibiting urinating and defecation in public, but no new public bathrooms are opened.