SAN FRANCISCO—A “safe sleeping village” has been developed at San Francisco’s Civic Center to promote social distancing within the homeless population.
The village includes outlined areas where individuals are able to set up their tents at a safe distance from others. The area has been fenced to eliminate access to outsiders and is being monitored 24/7. Individuals staying in the tents are provided with meals, showers, and clean water.
Mayor London Breed was originally opposed to the idea, but recognized that regulation of the tents that are sheltering homeless individuals was the safer alternative given the circumstances of coronavirus. Since the opening of the village last week, approximately 80 tents have been set up.
Breed’s goal of housing as much of San Francisco’s homeless population in available hotel rooms remains a priority. She tweeted that the “safe sleeping village” is a result of not having “many other options right now.”
The mayor indicated although all of San Francisco’s estimated 8,000 homeless are not likely to be housed within hotel rooms, the city of San Francisco has been able to move a total of 1,300 homeless individuals into hotel rooms for shelter.
