SAN FRANCISCO—The city of San Francisco is revising some of its health and safety protocols at facilities housing homeless people, after a meth lab was discovered in a hotel last Saturday, August 1st. Since March, San Francisco has been providing the homeless population with temporary housing and quarantine locations amid the pandemic.
On August 1, officers from the San Francisco Police Department descended on a hotel room, located in the 300 block of 9th street, after complaints were made of a strong chemical odor coming from guest rooms. Police later announced that they found a makeshift drug lab, which was subsequently shut down; preventative measures are being put in place to deter a repeat scenario.
The city announced on August 7 that new guidance for the housing program will be implemented, including visual wellness checks, an open-door policy that allows staff to freely come and go, and frequent room inspections. The new policy will also require the expulsion of anyone linked to illegal activity, such as the manufacturing or distribution of illegal drugs or narcotics.