Petrelis Files

75 Attend Outdoor Homeless Center Meeting

The City of San Francisco owns a large parcel of land on Mission between 15th and 16th Streets, currently occupied by bungalows last used by local public schools, and the property will soon become a homeless navigation center.

An estimated 75-people turned out tonight for a meeting at the site that was held in the courtyard, with loud generators providing flood-lighting and free standing patio heaters. A good number of attendees were from City Hall and various departments, along with representatives of local nonprofits.

The meeting was facilitated by Mayor Ed Lee's homeless point-man Bevan Dufty, who's spearheaded this project that should open in March. Homeless folks will be offered one-stop social services and a few nights of housing in a bungalow, all of which may equal a ticket off the streets.

I'm optimistic about the navigation center, in part, because of Dufty's managerial skills pulling this project together and the key role Muhammed Nuru of DPW is playing. These are two public officials who communicate regularly with stakeholders and generally deliver the good and goals they promise.

There wasn't a sound system so even with my hearing aids I was able to hear only a third of what was said. Not sure why the meeting wasn't held indoors where we could have heard and seen everyone.



In this video, longtime Latina community organizer Laura Guzman is speaking, you get a visual understanding of the meeting.

I hope to soon see the City feeding two birds with one seed. Putting the property and bungalows to excellent use and homeless folks gaining a new resource of direct assistance in a single location, is something this Mission resident supports.