SAN FRANCISCO CARES, A COMPREHENSIVE HOMELESSNESS PLAN
May 15, 2003

Thursday, May 15th at 11am Angela held a press conference at Civic Center Plaza to introduce her plan, San Francisco Cares. 

In a letter sent to each member of the Board of Supervisors Angela wrote that the events of the last week have made it very clear that San Franciscans want a comprehensive homeless plan, one that can be implemented immediately and effectively attacks the root causes of homelessness. After many months of analysis, She will be introducing San Francisco Cares, a comprehensive homelessness plan within the next week.

As we all know, Care Not Cash provides part of the answer, with a limited reach of about 2,500 of San Francisco’s 8,500 – 15,000 homeless. Implementation of a plan that effects some and not all of San Francisco’s homeless is not a real solution. San Francisco needs a comprehensive solution to the homeless problem that will be supported by the citizens of San Francisco and passed by the Board of Supervisors.

San Francisco Cares is a plan that builds on the effective concepts of Care Not Cash but is more encompassing, inclusive, and effective because it can actually be passed and implemented. It calls for a Citywide, community wide commitment. Here is what the plan entails:

1. Form outreach to 22 triage centers
2. Two in each supervisory district located on City, State or Federal property
3. Case-by-case evaluation to determine the proper program that specific person would benefit most from. 
   

The root causes of homelessness shall be addressed:

1. Mental illness
2. Drug addiction
3. Alcoholism
4. Lack of job training
5. An affordable housing component
6. Veterans
7. Women and children
8. Funding component for housing are fundamental to the plan.

San Francisco Cares is:

1. A results oriented plan that holds city departments, agencies, service providers, community based organizations, churches, and non- profits accountable to meeting quantifiable goals.
2. Progress/success will be verifiable and assessed on a regular basis.

San Francisco Cares has unflinching support for law enforcement agencies to fully enforce existing laws that deal with the portion of homeless individuals who are engaged in dangerous or violent illegal behavior.