Council Welcomes SF City Attorney for Update on Homelessness Litigation and Bureaucracy Reform

Bureaucratic red tape and lack of coordination among the vast network of public agencies, nonprofit service providers and other stakeholders working to address our region’s homelessness crisis have long been an obstacle to getting people off the streets, out of illegal encampments and into safe, supportive shelters and other forms of housing. And ensuring they don’t end up back on the street. Since the Bay Area Council released a seminal report in 2019 (and follow up in 2021) highlighting many of these issues and offering recommendations for addressing them, we have been advocating for greater efficiency, coordination and accountability at federal, state, local and regional levels.

The Council’s Homelessness Committee recently welcomed City Attorney David Chiu to discuss the work the San Francisco Streamlining Task Force is doing to consolidate the city’s numerous commissions and advisory boards focused on homelessness. And the Council this week (Oct. 14) submitted a letter in support of one of three options the Task Force is considering to create a more efficient and accountable system. The Task Force is scheduled to meet today (Oct. 15) to make a final recommendation, which would then go to the Board of Supervisors for approval.

Chiu also updated our Committee on a recent legal settlement that clears the way for the city to continue its work to remove illegal, unsafe and unhealthy encampments. The settlement is a significant step forward, releasing the city from liability related to its work and allowing it to continue its “bag and tag” policy, among other key points. Chiu also told our Committee the city successfully persuaded small claims court judges to dismiss fraudulent property claims that were hampering the city’s efforts. Read the City Attorney’s statement on the settlement here.

To engage with the Council’s Homelessness Committee, please contact Senior Vice President of Public Policy, Adrian Covert.