A few days ago and a mere three days after this news broke late last week, the San Francisco Examiner boosted the correct number to 80+ homeless and 10 staff, now testing positive for Covid at MSC South Shelter. Two days later, the number hit over 100. The guests and staff have (optionally) been offered hotel rooms for their quarantine period. This is too late and it's a travesty.
Knee deep in week five of shelter-in-place, the BoS have been advocating for the poverty, demanding the approximately 30,000 empty hotel rooms be used for people living on the streets. The more the poverty are near each other, not keeping six feet apart, the greater chance our city has of sadly spiking the virus curve instead of flattening it. After a public outcry once it was decided the homeless would be crammed into Moscone Center and these people would further contaminate each other, the beds were moved further apart, whereby under half the number would receive shelter. From a bigger city-wide backlash, the city's Moscone plan went awol.
Having hundreds of people cooped up in a massive room is not how the virus slows down. Homeless being suffocated by each other, with all their belongings possibly causing a fire hazard, is not how the virus stops. Placing each person in an isolated hotel room, the comfort of a decent bed and hot running water is how the virus comes to a crashing halt. The latter also comes with having dignity and respect for the ones that suffer on our streets.
With the Moscone announcement, a collective outcry came from the BoS and public. By abandoning the poverty, the city has completely failed since poverty is the #1 problem (by far) in San Francisco
If you have $5 to spare, please donate it to the BoS's incredible GoFundMe where the cash is directly paid to house the homeless in hotels. Every penny counts.
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