San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie on Monday unveiled a clearer vision and timeline for addressing the city's unhoused crisis.
Lurie, who was elected in part on his promises to make San Francisco streets safer and cleaner, has said the city needs more options for shelter, permanent housing and treatment.
On Monday, he issued a new executive directive that he says will build on the recent fentanyl emergency order signed into law last month, with specific targets outlined for the next 100 days, 6 months and year.
He said the city will begin re-evaluating the expectations for the $1 billion it spends on non-profits -- including some with often controversial harm reduction programs.
"All of that will have to be paired with services, with support from clinicians and doctors,” Lurie said. “The days of just handing things out with no treatment assigned to it, those are over."
In the next 100 days, Lurie is proposing a new model for street outreach teams and more options for those who need it. There will also be reforms to health and homelessness services, as well as assistance programs meant to provide more stability and self sufficiency.
Within six months, Lurie hopes to deliver on his 1,500-bed commitment for shelters and hopes to hold nonprofit partners accountable with a review of funding priorities.
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One year out, Lurie wants the state and federal government to help more with funding.
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Over the last few months, some neighborhood residents have been critical of harm reduction teams passing out glass pipes and tin foil - items usually used for smoking drugs - including fentanyl.
The portion of the mayor's executive order aimed at re-focusing the city's spending on harm reduction programs, now has non-profits that provide those services for the city, trying to figure out how this is going to affect them.
The San Francisco AIDS Foundation did not respond to multiple attempts to reach them for comment about their mobile team.
Dr. Gina Fromer with GLIDE said they already offer services with their harm reduction program.
"It's more of a full wrap around of the individual versus these one offs, handing this out or doing that, and not extending anything beyond that, I think we get to a point where we are now, that's frustration,” she said.
Mayor Lurie said specific guidance for those programs will soon be issued by his newly appointed director of public health.
Meanwhile, San Francisco faces an estimated $876 million budget shortfall.
