A week ago, President Donald Trump signed an executive order titled “Ending Crime and Disorder on America’s Streets.”
This order suggests that “vagrancy” and “violent attacks have made our cities unsafe,” actively promoting expanded institutionalization.
The timing of this executive order comes at a crucial moment for many American cities that are grappling with persistent challenges related to homelessness and addiction.
In 2024, the U.S. recorded the highest number of homeless individuals on a single night, totaling 771,480 people.
San Francisco has become emblematic of the homelessness crisis, with a new mayor pledging to prioritize solutions to the issue.
To understand the complexities surrounding homelessness and addiction, reporter Ethan Brooks follows the story of one individual living on the streets who is poised for change.
This piece, the first in a three-part miniseries from Radio Atlantic called No Easy Fix, delves into the struggles and potential paths toward overcoming personal demons.
Ethan Brooks reflects on his investigation into the situation in San Francisco, a city known for its innovative problem-solving ethos but struggling to tackle the issues surrounding homelessness and addiction.
Every American city has at least one area where the social order seems to have shattered, filled with individuals living on the streets—often battling addiction.
Prior to President Trump’s order, some cities had already been exploring new methods to confront these challenges.
Ethan Brooks introduces Evan, a man who has spent six years engaging in theft to support his addiction.
Evan’s daily routine involves traveling out of town from San Francisco, shoplifting, and returning home to sleep on the streets or in a shelter.
He refers to this as his “job,” with the title of “thief” aptly fitting his recurring actions.
In his circle, the label of “out-of-town booster” gives him a certain status, as he steals from locations outside of San Francisco to sell back in the city.
Evan has successfully converted various stolen items, like Frappuccinos and Tide Pods, into cash, showing how his criminal activities feed into a broader underground economy.
Brooks remarks on Evan’s specific targets, noting that he has recently focused on stealing Stanley cups from a Target in Emeryville.
After selling these items in San Francisco, he is part of a vast network that handles millions of dollars in stolen goods annually.
Brooks describes Evan not only as a thief but also as an addict, with fentanyl being his primary substance of choice driving his shoplifting.
The toxic relationship between addiction and crime paints a grim picture of Evan’s daily existence.
In an interview, Evan appears severely malnourished, fighting a significant addiction that has left him vulnerable, facing death as a real possibility.
Brooks chronicles Evan’s journey from his life as an out-of-town booster to his current state of dependency and health deterioration.
In a reflective moment, Evan compares his situation to a myth from Norse tradition, pondering the value and purpose he perceives in his life.
The story takes a darker turn, highlighting the critical conditions Evan faces, both personally and within the broader context of San Francisco’s evolving approach to homelessness.
Evan represents just one among more than 4,000 unsheltered individuals in the city, shedding light on the severe conditions faced by those living on the street.
As the number of unsheltered individuals has remained consistent, San Francisco is compelled to develop newer strategies in response to homelessness and addiction.
The newly elected mayor, Daniel Lurie, faces the significant challenge of navigating the city through its current crisis.
Lurie’s administration has attempted different approaches to address visible homelessness and soaring crime rates since the pandemic started.
The evidence shows that the unsheltered population remains roughly the same as a decade prior, highlighting the urgency for new solutions.
Brooks emphasizes that this issue is not merely a question of how many people are homeless, but of how society’s perception surrounding these individuals has changed.
The loss of the daytime population in downtown San Francisco, estimated at nearly two-thirds, has exacerbated the visibility problem associated with homelessness.
As Evan represents a visible reminder of the ongoing struggles faced in the city, a notable shift in public sentiment and policy efforts has begun to emerge.
This shift is exemplified in the work of Liz Breuilly, a volunteer dedicated to locating missing individuals, many of whom are reported missing from homelessness.
Unlike conventional police efforts, Liz combines a personal touch with investigative techniques, aiming to reunite individuals with their families.
In the tenderloin district, where many individuals disappear from contact with loved ones, Liz’s approach offers a different route to re-engagement that contrasts with more conventional methods of handling homelessness.
Throughout her work, Liz discovers that many people on the missing persons list often reside in visible areas, bringing attention back to the irony in their current situations.
Investigating missing persons soon leads Liz to Evan, who she had previously known as an individual in need of help.
On a day filled with challenges, Evan finds himself once again in a conversation with Liz, who holds information that will reshape the course of his life.
As Evan shares his desire for positive change, it signifies a potentially pivotal moment, not just for him but also for the city’s approach to addressing homelessness and addiction.
The imminent hope for Evan’s future creates a tension between personal readiness and the systemic obstacles that persist, raising questions about how effectively the city can respond to individual needs.
In the weeks ahead, Brooks will continue to follow Evan’s journey, exploring the intersections of addiction, recovery, and the precarious nature of urban life in San Francisco as the city grapples with its pressing challenges.
image source from：theatlantic
