To many San Franciscans one of the most sweeping issues of recent years has been the number of chronically homeless people on the streets. It's astonishing the number of people living on our wealthy streets (estimates as high as 12,000). The most obvious centers are the Tenderloin, Civic Center, South of Market, and Golden Gate Park, near the Haight. Mayor Newsom actually gained recognition when, as a member of the Board of Supervisors, he proposed "Care Not Cash" as an alternative to the city's system of welfare grants to homeless people. It's been one of the hallmark initiatives of his term, as mayor. And so far, it's made a noticeable difference. One of the best things I've seen happen on this front is the city's success in bringing ordinary citizens to the table as part of the solution. A monthly gathering at the Civic Center seeks to connect homeless residents with applicable city services. Over 800 people who were living on the street or in shelters are now living in converted single occupancy rooms for the chronically homeless. This approach seems to respect the dignity of each person by providing actual housing or services that add value to recipients. The Bush Administration is pointing to SF as a model for other cities. You can't argue with results. Newsom's goal is to eradicate homelessness in the city within 10 years. An interesting goal, considering his predecessor, Willie Brown, once said you cannot solve this problem.
Homelessness catches my attention because I believe it says something very loudly about the kind of faith one has. Actually how a people responds to those on the fringe speaks of thier belief about the value and dignity of life. Those who have means have it not only for thier own benefit, but for _______. Fill in the blank. Many neighbors await. Who is my neighbor? You ask. Check out Jesus' answer to the question in the Bible. Luke 10:25-37.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/05/04/BAGFICJGK11.DTL
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