An opinion piece by Christin Evans, arguing that San Francisco’s “aggressive” sweeps of homeless encampments are inhumane and futile, elicited dozens of comments from readers. The Standard is publishing a selection of these responses, received via email, which have been edited for clarity and brevity.
‘Homeless sweeps are simply futile’
I really found myself resonating with Christin Evans’ opinion and absolutely agreeing: The homeless sweeps solve nothing. I admit that I have on occasion found myself nodding in agreement with those calling for “something to be done” whenever a news article talks about a homeless encampment starting a fire, or whenever I pass the ever-growing encampment behind the Target and hurry inside to escape the two residents engaged in a yelling match outside. So while I agree that the homeless encampments cannot remain, homeless sweeps, which do nothing to solve any of the underlying causes or problems that have contributed to the explosion of unhoused individuals in recent years, are not a real solution. Homeless sweeps are simply, as the article’s title states, futile. — Brynna Graham
How’d you like it if they slept on your doorstep?
Perhaps Ms. Evans should invite any homeless person that is swept to come stay in front of her business in the Haight and see how that helps generate income for her bar and bookstore. — Robert Jennings
‘I hope the sweeps keep happening’
I for one am happy with the sweeps. Willow Alley is right behind my place of residence. I cannot sleep at night because of fighting, loud music and dogs barking. [People use the] street as their toilet. Then the drug use, leaving needles on the ground. I hope the sweeps keep happening. — Annie Heckel
‘It’s time for accountability and responsibility’
Your op-ed about cruelty in the homeless sweeps is flatly wrong and one-dimensional. When my family and I walk the streets, it’s cruel that we have to be stressed by the possibility of homeless people’s behavior, outbursts and visible drug use. Your article also fails to represent that most come here for drug vacations and stay because of the city’s latitude. Tax dollars are expensive here and shouldn’t go to paying for non-San Franciscans. You can’t have both accepted open drug use and unregulated encampments. It’s time for accountability and responsibility. — Lila Salazar
‘One part of the new Breed Doctrine’
Thank you to Christin Evans for detailed and sensible criticism of the attack on the poorest people in San Francisco. It is one part of the new Breed Doctrine: Chase poor people out of our city. It’s part of the mayor’s election-year plan to win on the backs of the poorest citizens. So is chasing the RV community out of the Sunset with no plan at all for safe restaging. “Just get them out of here” seems to be the policy at City Hall. “By any means necessary” seems to be the directive at police headquarters. — Margaret Gannon
‘Return as many as possible from whence they came’
The sweeps do work in that they send a message that San Francisco is no longer going to be the tolerant mecca for the nation’s homeless druggies to emigrate here. Many have just broken the social contract and intransigently refuse help and services to get off our streets, and that cannot be tolerated in any society. When that happens we owe them exactly nothing! The program of returning as many as possible from whence they came is the best first solution both for them and us. — John Stokes
‘Let’s redirect our money toward building’
Thank you for your article pointing out the uselessness and cruelty of our mayor’s current policy of removing the tents and belongings of our citizens living on our streets. My husband and I live on Post Street just a block or so away from Union Square. We have lived here for almost 20 years, and I am in my 80s. We have seen our community become filthy and dangerous. I carry Narcan in my purse. Still. This policy of confiscating and destroying our desperate neighbors’ belongings is even worse. Let’s redirect our money toward building and housing the unhoused. Stop these sweeps immediately. — Micki Esken
Container units would ‘save the city a ton of money’
The city should start to address the issue by offering homeless people a large lot with restrooms, laundries and a security crew. Step two should be the purchase of container units for homeless people to move into. That would save the city a ton of money necessary to pay for hotel rooms while the homeless people can move into their own homes and hopefully find a way to reintegrate into society. — Joe Engelhard
‘All that makes a city livable is violated’
As a long-time resident of SF Mission, I welcome the recent move to clean out the tents and encampments in our city streets. The reason: Cities must operate within a narrower scope of what is allowed. You cannot hunt in city streets, have open fires, defecate in the streets or disobey traffic and parking laws. There are all sorts of regulations about where and how you live: fire codes, noise ordinances, utilities, safety provisions, etc. But when you live on the street, all that makes a city livable is violated. — Jorge Freyer