Here's what's slowing down efforts to clean SF's homeless encampments

>> ALONG WITH TENTS AND PILES OF DEBRIS, MEMBERS OF THE SAN FRANCISCO DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND COORDINATION WITH THE HEALTHY THREE'S OPERATION CENTER ARE WORKING TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO THE ROUGHLY UNHOUSED PEOPLE IN THE CITY. HALF OF WHICH ARE ALREADY IN SHELTERS. >> IN 2023, WE HAVE ALREADY SHELTERED MORE THAN 1000 PEOPLE. EVERY DAY WE ARE OUT HERE. >> BRITTANY BRANDON HAS BEEN WITH THE HEALTHY STREETS OPERATION CENTER FOR FIVE YEARS. SHE AND HER COLLEAGUES PARTNER WITH OTHER OUTREACH TEAMS AND FIRST RESPONDERS TO HAND OUT RESOURCES, SANITIZE AND PROVIDE EDUCATION TO THE UNHOUSED. THE HOPE IS THEY WILL ACCEPT SHELTER. >> OVERALL, WE CAN PROBABLY GET 20 TO 25, WHICH IS REALLY GOOD. WE HAVE DIFFERENT RESOURCES PARADE SOMETIMES IT IS SAFE SLEEP, A TINY HOME. >> THE OUTREACH TEAM HAS SPENT EIGHT YEARS BUILDING TRUST WITH THOSE ON THE STREETS. AND UNDERSTANDS FRUSTRATIONS OF THOSE SUCH AS BUSINESS OWNERS ALONG WILLOW STREET WHICH ABC7 HAS REPORTED ON. >> JUST PART OF THE WORK WE DO, IT TAKES TIME. IT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT CAN HAPPEN AT THE SNAP OF A FINGER. IT NEEDS TO CONTINUE TO BE WORKED ON. >> MAYBE THE SIXTH WE WILL GET THEM TO TAKE RESOURCES. >> ONE OF THE LATEST IS AN INJUNCTION BROUGHT FORWARD ON THE COALITION OF HOMELESSNESS. THEY ALLEGED PRACTICES RELATING TO ENCAMPMENT CLEANUPS VIOLATED THE RIGHTS OF THE UNHOUSED, MEANING THE CITY CAN'T ENFORCE CERTAIN LAWS SUCH AS SLEEPING ON PUBLIC PROPERTY. >> IT PREVENTS US FROM CLEANING THE STREETS AS FAST AS WE USED TO. >> WHILE THEY CAN ASK THE UNHOUSED TO MOVE, IT IS NOT MANDATORY. >> IF SOMEONE REFUSES SHELTER, REFUSES TO MOVE, THERE IS LITTLE THAT CAN BE DONE. WE BELIEVE CITY ATTORNEYS OFFICE BELIEVES THIS INJUNCTION IS OVERLY BROAD AND HAMPERS THE CITY'S ABILITY TO ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS. >> IN THE MEANTIME, THE CONTINUED OUTREACH SEEMS TO HAVE WORKED ON ANTHONY, WHO ACCEPTED A TINY HOME. >> THESE GUYS ARE ANGELS. THEY CAN

Channel: ABC7 News Bay Area

Views: 39,446

Keywords: news, abc, abc7news, unhoused people san francisco, sf homeless resources, homeless encampment sf, Healthy Streets Operation Center, Coalition on Homelessness, SF homeless encampment cleaning, San Francisco Department of Emergency Management homelessness san francisco, affordable housing san francisco

Id: cklko2H4bvA

Length: 2min 21sec (141 seconds)

Published: Wed Jul 26 2023