More than 2,100 people in San Francisco are chronically homeless, meaning that they’ve been on the street for at least a year and have a mental health, substance abuse or other condition that prevents them from working or finding housing. According to San Francisco’s 2017 homeless count, the number of chronically homeless has risen about 30 percent since 2015. But city officials are betting that a new $100 million pledge from the local anti poverty group Tipping Point Community will make a difference. The group’s initiative, which officially launches on July 1, aims to cut the number of chronically homeless in half over five years by building new permanent housing and expanding mental health services. As part of KQED’s weeklong coverage of homelessness in the Bay Area, we’ll look at the new ways San Francisco plans to address the complex needs of the chronically homeless.
Guests:
Jeff Kositsky, director, San Francisco Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing
Daniel Lurie, CEO and founder, Tipping Point Community