Box City goes to City Hall next Tuesday, 1/31

The majority of Box City residents worked with the Department of Homelessness' "Encampment Resolution Team" earlier this month to relocate to the Navigation Center at 1950 Mission for a 30-day stay. Box City residents have undoubtedly benefitted from their respite from the street and case management services over the last few weeks, but they are understandably anxious about returning to live on the street where they will be unwanted and criminalized. In an effort to proactively and collaboratively organize for a better outcome, Box City residents will join the Saint Francis Homelesness Challenge to ask the Board of Supervisors and Mayor Ed Lee to work together on a better solution.

The Box City residents pictured above (and more) will meet in front of the Navigation Center at 1PM on 1/31/2017 and walk with the Saint Francis Homelessness Challenge to City Hall to speak at public comment at the Board of Supervisors meeting and visit the Mayor's office. We are hoping that the City will provide a specific location to pilot an organized transitional village so that Box City residents won't have to be criminalized by returning to an unsanctioned location due to a shelter and housing shortage crisis.

1-1:10PM: Meet up in front of the Navigation Center at 1950 Mission 

1:10-2PM: March to City Hall

2PM: Attend the Board of Supervisors meeting in Room 250 at City Hall to share concerns, experiences, and ask for a exit strategy with better community and transition outcomes during Public Comment.

Navigation Center data: Majority of "Encampment Resolution" participants exit back to the street

Check out this recent dashboard data* included below from the Navigation Center 1 (1950 Mission Street) where the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing (DHSH) is experimenting with its new 30-day stay model for "Encampment Resolution". Note the large number of participants who are leaving to "unstable exits" (aka going back to live on the street/sidewalk in unsanctioned encampments): For instance, on January 2nd, 25 participants exited the Navigation to "unstable exits". The data for the "exit circumstances" for ERT (Encampment Resolution Team) clients indicate that the majority exit at the "End of Program Stay", which means that they go back to the street/unsanctioned encampments after 30 days of respite at the Navigation Center.

There is currently a lack of suitable exits for unhoused residents who participate in the 30-day stay at the Navigation Center, but fortunately the Saint Francis Homelessness Challenge has an interim solution that we want to help fund and pilot while we wait for more shelter/housing to be built. SFHC wants to work with and build upon the City's existing resources and efforts by creating transition-focused, organized, and cost-effective exits for residents who have reached the end of their 30-day stay at the Navigation Center - in a way that address needs and concerns of ALL stakeholders (including unhoused residents, local government/City-workers, service providers/advocates, local businesses and neighbors).

Once an underutilized City-owned or privately-owned site has been offered for use to SFHC, we can immediately:

• Provide the funding for a 3-month pilot ($20K+ pledge)
• Develop a built-in review process with multiple stakeholders to address issues mid-pilot and allow for additional months upon condition of passing review process
• Provide insurance
• Lead a collaborative effort with diverse stakeholders (including City government, City workers, unhoused residents, local business, local advocacy/service orgs) to ensure that concerns, agreements. accountability-measures, and outcomes are identified up-front;
• Provide operations support
• Work with ECS and DHSH to help select applicants who have utilized the Navigation Center and are a good fit for the cooperative and self-management aspects of a transitional village
• Provide shelter and storage structures
• Provide sanitation support (portapotties)
• Provide garbage and recycling disposal resources and develop a pick-up system in collaboration with City services
• Provide a kitchen area with safety measures with the support of local catering companies
• Explore alliances with Yellow Bike Project and SFPD to support daytime activities and create pathways to a community-beneficial living with a bike repair/building shop
• Explore the development of a resident-staffed hauling and garbage clean-up organization to help relieve some of the burden of trash pick-up from DPW, support livability at encampments, and create pathways to a community-beneficial living.