The order, issued on Thursday, instructs city staff to prioritize offering bus tickets to homeless individuals before any other service, a strategy aimed at easing the strain on the city's overburdened shelters and housing options.
According to ABC 7 News, Mayor Breed's order is rooted in the findings of a recent survey which revealed that "40% of unsheltered people in San Francisco did not live here before arriving." This statistic, coupled with a January survey that counted 8,323 homeless individuals in the city, underscores the urgency of the situation. Mayor Breed emphasized the need for the city to "be more aggressive and intentional with our approach," particularly with those who "cycle in and out of city-funded programs without accountability and a clear path to securing stabilized housing and care."
The Mayor's order also highlighted the fact that a significant portion of the city's homeless population are not San Francisco natives, but rather individuals drawn to the city by the promise of services. Breed noted that the city "cannot continue to ask San Francisco residents to support the needs of those who travel here simply for care." This sentiment was echoed by Donna Hilliard, the executive director of nonprofit Code Tenderloin, who told ABC 7 News, "A lot of people come out here thinking San Francisco is going to be this wonderful state for them to live and thrive and they’re actually leaving home because they think they’re going to find something here."
The Mayor's "Journey Home" program, as outlined in the executive order, includes three key directives: offering relocation services before housing, training first responders on the program, and tracking those who refuse the relocation services. These directives are expected to be fully implemented by September 1, 2024.
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Mayor Breed, in her order, affirmed that "San Francisco will always lead with compassion, but we cannot allow our compassion to be taken advantage of. We will not be a city with a reputation for being able to solve the housing and behavioral health needs of people across our country." When approached for further comment, Mayor Breed's office referred the Daily Caller News Foundation to a press release.
