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District 5 candidates discuss a drop in homelessness since 2022

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Here’s the latest in our “Meet the Candidates” series for District 5, in which we ask each candidate to answer one question per week leading up to the election. Four candidates are challenging incumbent Supervisor Dean Preston to represent District 5, which spans from the east end of Golden Gate Park through Haight-Ashbury, Japantown and the Western Addition, the Lower Haight and Hayes Valley, and most of the Tenderloin.


Last week, the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing released a report about its point-in-time homelessness count taken in January. The department conducts a count at least every two years, and since the 2022 count, the total number of people experiencing homelessness in San Francisco increased by seven percent. The count shows unsheltered homelessness citywide decreased by one percent since 2022, and 16 percent since 2019.

But in District 5, unsheltered homelessness decreased by more than 20 percent — other districts saw similar improvements, while others still saw dramatic increases.

This week we asked candidates what they think about the findings: what policies and factors contributed to the decrease in homelessness in District 5, and what efforts they would continue or change as supervisor.

Note: I will be at Paris Cafe (142 McAllister St.) at 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, August 22. Come say hi and share your thoughts about the election or District 5.


Cartoon illustration of a man with short hair, glasses, a beard, and a blue collared shirt, set inside a circular teal background.

Scotty Jacobs

  • Job: Marketing
  • Age: 30
  • Residency: Tenant in District 5 since November 2022, homeowner
  • Transportation: Public bicycle
  • Education: Bachelor’s degree from Washington University
  • Languages: English

Despite historically large budgets to tackle homelessness, San Franciscans continue to die as a result of our failed harm reduction, housing-first policies around homelessness and the related issues of addiction and mental health. 

Per the County Medical Examiner’s Accidental Overdose reports, between 2022 and 2024, there were 278 overdose deaths in the 94102 zip code alone — eclipsing the 250-person reduction in the district’s unhoused population highlighted by the recent point in time report.

We need results. As supervisor, I will: establish performance metrics and outcomes for nonprofits addressing homelessness; we must ensure we are investing taxpayer dollars effectively in light of … read more.



Source: missionlocal.org

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