Though Mayor Faulconer has been vocal about his desire to provide more support for the homeless, it’s easier said than done when City Council Democrats are impeding any and all progress. Despite a vote being passed last year for 140 new housing units per district for homeless and disabled residents by 2021, little substantive progress had been possible given the circumstances.
Last year, individuals from across the political spectrum came together to support the private construction of permanent supportive housing districts as a non-binding resolution, in hopes of sharing the workload of the city’s homelessness crisis.
“I see the benefit of this,” City Council President Georgette Gómez stated last year. “It really is to send that statement that we’re committing and that we’re standing behind this decision.”
Since then, however, she has backpedaled. Her chief of policy suggested that her district had great successes with affordable housing as opposed to permanent supportive housing. Next year, her district anticipates 263 new constructions of affordable housing, but only seven are slated to be the permanent supportive housing she “saw the benefit of” just last year.
If we don’t get 100% commitment from Democrats, then Faulconer’s hopes of helping the homeless will remain little more than that.
