In 2023, 65% of people offered shelter by our workers rejected those offers. This year, that number has risen to 75%. Out of 617 engagements by our teams over the last two weeks, only 77 people accepted shelter. That means 88% of the people we encountered refused to accept a roof over their heads. This is unacceptable.

Why? They can’t be refusing shelter for no reason.

Since 2018, we’ve expanded shelter slots by over 60% and housing slots by more than 50%. We have more housing for the formerly homeless than any county in the Bay Area, including counties with larger homeless populations. Per capita, we have more homes for the formerly homeless than any city in the country, other than Washington, D.C. We’ve helped over 15,000 people exit homelessness since I took office. And another 10,000 have received rental assistance or other support to prevent them from falling into homelessness.

Ok. But is that enough to do this sort of ultimatum successfully?

And we need to build more housing. I’m not just talking about permanent supportive housing — we need more homes across our entire city so people don’t fall into homelessness. We cannot address homelessness without building homes — tens of thousands of them — to make this city more affordable and accessible. Until the Bay Area and California begin building much, much more housing, we will still struggle. (And the demise this week of the regional housing bond is a frustrating setback.)

Oh ok so there isn’t enough homes to do this but we’re going to do it anyway.