Dozens of community members gathered in eerily solemn funeral-like attire outside San Francisco’s City Hall earlier this week, voicing their discontent over recent legislation aimed at RV parking and homelessness solutions.
Chanting phrases such as “fight, fight, fight, housing is a human right,” the protesters convened before the Board of Supervisors voted on a measure imposing two-hour parking restrictions on large vehicles without permits, as well as reallocating funds originally designated for long-term housing under the Our City, Our Home initiative.
The newly approved legislation enforces parking limits on large vehicles throughout the city. It also includes provisions to evaluate residents of these vehicles for potential options such as permanent interim housing, cash buyback programs, and permits for large vehicles.
In San Francisco’s latest Point-in-Time Count, nearly 1,444 individuals and families were found to be living in large vehicles across the city, significantly highlighting the ongoing challenge of homelessness. A prior analysis conducted in May revealed that at least 437 large vehicles were currently being utilized as homes within the urban landscape.
Mayor Daniel Lurie defended the legislation, emphasizing it as a necessary approach aimed at improving living conditions for those forced to reside in vehicles while also ensuring safety and cleanliness for community members.
“Those in vehicles deserve better options for raising their kids, and those just trying to walk down the street deserve safety and cleanliness,” Lurie stated in an official release from his office. “I am proud to stand with the Board of Supervisors today to pass a plan that will finally give all of our families what they deserve.”
Recent counts revealed a total of 3,969 sheltered individuals and 4,354 unsheltered individuals experiencing homelessness across San Francisco.
The Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to allocate a portion of the Our City, Our Home funds, diverting $34.8 million from long-term housing initiatives to instead facilitate short-term shelter beds.
Partly motivated by concerns for immediate relief, the board also authorized an expenditure of up to $19 million of the fund’s surplus revenue without requiring supermajority approval from the board over the next two fiscal years.
Reactions from attendees were far from supportive following the board’s ruling, with many members of the audience responding with hisses and boos.
Before the voting session, protesters adorned the steps of City Hall with black banners painted with messages such as “democracy is being killed,” and “give us homes before tows”—expressing their outrage at the measures up for discussion.
Supervisor Jackie Fielder, representing District 9, was present at the rally, voicing solidarity with the protesters.
“Until we truly invest in affordable housing, shelter, and comprehensive services, we have no business dismantling the fragile refuge that residents have managed to secure,” she proclaimed to the assembled crowd.
Fielder voted against the proposed RV parking restrictions and the reallocation of the Our City, Our Home revenue.
An emotional Armando Martinez, an RV resident, shared his personal experience at the rally, explaining how he purchased his RV with his last savings after losing his job and home two years ago.
“Constant noise, pollution, dirt trauma: that’s where we sleep,” he lamented, but still expressed preference for life in his RV over shelter accommodations.
He questioned the offer of shelter: “How am I going to give up my RV for a shelter bed where I have to live with X amount of people? It’s just not the same. It’s not an equal trade… I almost died in a shelter a few years ago.”
Dean Preston, a former District 5 Supervisor, criticized lawmakers who avoid taxing the wealthy to fund affordable housing efforts.
“There’s always money to double the police budget, but there’s never money to house people,” he stated during the rally.
Notably, he recounted his two-decade experience representing constituents facing eviction and homelessness, recalling harrowing conditions that tenants faced.
“The model where you criminalize the poor, where you take money away from real solutions, and where you think you’re gonna have this gilded society is not sustainable,” Preston added.
He warned that the profound cruelty witnessed regarding housing and homelessness would inevitably lead to societal collapse.
Kristen Hardy, vice president of the Service Employees International Union San Francisco, also spoke at the rally, highlighting the struggles of essential workers who are increasingly priced out of the city they serve.
“I have nurses that are sleeping in their cars because they cannot afford to live in the city they work in,” she disclosed. “I have people commuting from Sacramento, Stockton. I have somebody coming from almost as far as Reno, because they can’t afford anything closer in the Bay Area… but they showed up every day to help keep this city running during the pandemic.”
Miguel Carera, a Lead Housing Justice Organizer at the Coalition on Homelessness, shared his perspective, revealing that he became involved after the organization supported him in overcoming his own period of homelessness.
“It’s not easy for anyone who is a human being. If you do sit down and stay, or lay down in one place, somebody is coming, pushing you, kicking you…” he stated, articulating the fears and challenges faced by those without stable housing.
Following the rally, the protesters conducted a silent procession through City Hall, their black veils casting a somber air as they held plastic candles, their footsteps echoing through the halls in poignant silence.
image source from：piedmontexedra
