Record share of S.F. homeless came here after already losing housing
San Francisco Chronicle · Ethan Varian ·
The increases came as rents surged in the city and many low-income residents struggled with the escalating cost of living.
In May, San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie touted official estimates showing a sharp drop in the number of people living on the street. But new details about the tally reveal a more complicated picture of the city’s push to combat homelessness.
Almost half of those surveyed along with the count said they were homeless when they arrived in San Francisco, a record high. Critics have long argued that homeless people — about a third of whom report dealing with addiction — often come to San Francisco for what one of Lurie’s department heads has described as "drug tourism."
Additionally, the one-night count in January identified concerning rises in the number of unhoused children and older adults, as well as those becoming homelessness for the first time. The increases came as rents surged in the city and many low-income residents struggled with the escalating cost of living and eviction notices began to spike.
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