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by TJ Johnston/PNN
Widely proclaimed as a "compassionate solution," Prop N exploits the profound
desire for solutions to homelessness in the heart of every San Franciscan.
The leadership of Religious Witness with Homeless People has thoroughly
studied Prop N and consulted with experts in the field. We have concluded
that Prop N is neither compassionate nor a solution.
Prop N is based on the media-promoted stereotypical image of all homeless
people as alcoholics or drug addicts who abuse taxpayers' money. The truth is
ONLY about one-third of the homeless population have substance abuse issues.
Like all stereotypes, this one appeals to our worst side, the side that
judges, condemns and rejects our sisters and brothers who have no homes.
Significantly, many of these individuals have already been begging the city
for treatment but are forced by the inadequate number of treatment slots to
wait for six to twelve months for help. Everyday in our city, 1,000 to 1,400
people are still addicted because they are on a waiting list.
The city's neglect in producing truly affordable housing over the years, even
in the years when the budget surplus exceeded $100 million, has resulted in
our current crises in housing and homelessness. We believe it is morally
wrong to force the burden of "fixing" these crises on the backs of the very
poorest members of our community. Prop N would do precisely that.
Through slick ads on TV, radio, huge billboards, mass phone calls, etc.,
Supervisor Gavin Newsom (Prop N's author) and the restaurant and hotel
industry promote Prop N as an effective solution to homelessness. The truth
is that Prop N will deduct all but "up to" $59 monthly from the very poorest
members of our community and sink it into a program that offers no hope of
alleviating San Francisco's homelessness crisis. Prop N is fraught with
promises and loopholes but holds no guarantees for housing and services.
Prop N does not guarantee housing.
Given the current crisis in housing, it seems a stretch of the imagination
that the city can quickly come up with "real" housing units for the 2,700 GA
recipients.
A clue to the possible direction of the city in providing housing lies in
Prop N's definition of "housing," which includes a cot or a two-inch mat on
the floor of a crowded shelter. It is more likely that the city will simply
focus on providing more of these shelter cots or mats as the fastest and
cheapest way of satisfying the promises of Prop N for "housing."
Shelters are not a solution to homelessness. There is unanimous agreement
among homeless people, advocates, service providers and other professionals
that exiting homelessness requires stable housing with supportive services,
addiction treatment, adequate mental and physical health care and jobs.
Prop N allows for diversion of cash-deducted "savings" from housing and
services
Prop N specifically allows the city to divert the cash-deducted "savings" to
many different areas, including the administration of the system: "The
funding may be used to support, but not limited to, some or all of the
following: hotel master lease programs, permanent supportive housing,
improvement of conditions in existing shelters, expansion of shelter
capacity, mental health and substance abuse treatment, outreach, a fund for rental deposits, SSI advocacy
programs, rep-payee services, case management and meals for the homeless
population through direct services and/or contracts." (Emphasis added.)
In fact, the majority of the estimated $6-9 million yearly "savings" could
simply be used on administration and personnel and not on actual services.
Again, Prop N promises but fails to ensure that expansion of housing or
services will occur.
Prop N makes vouchers for housing and meals available.
From the beginning, the complexities and costliness of the voucher system
equal added frustration and significant suffering for the homeless recipient.
Vouchers would mean increased administrative costs to business people, a
potential avalanche of city forms, even possible liability issues. Thus it
seems unlikely that a sufficient number of landlords and eating
establishments would participate in the voucher system, thereby making it
more difficult for homeless people to use them.
In addition, Prop N vouchers would not cover items like laundry soap,
toothpaste, socks, aspirin, haircuts, telephone calls, etc. All such
necessary items would have to be paid for by the homeless person from the
meager "up to" $59 a month GA cash grant.
GA recipients already work for that money.
The individuals who receive GA are already required to work for their money.
They are WORKERS who clean buses and streetcars, remove trash from parks, and
sweep streets. They work 8 hours a week (32 hours a month) for the city and
are "paid" $10.00 an hour in their $320 GA stipend.
It is unclear if recipients will be required to work these same hours for the
$59 they would receive in cash. If so, they would only be "guaranteed" $1.84
per hour.
Religious Witness with Homeless People urges rejection of Prop N.
Prop N is clearly not a solution to San Francisco's crisis in homelessness.
Furthermore, experts warn that the implementation of Prop N would require far
more of the city's money than the estimated $6-9 million withheld yearly from
GA recipients, perhaps 3-4 times as much. Shall San Francisco embark upon a
road which focuses a vast portion of our money, time, energy and trust in a
policy based on a stereotype and with no guarantees?
In 1993, our elected officials set our city on just such a road. We remember
all to well the great confidence with which this city adopted a
"police-approach" policy (Matrix) as a major response to homelessness. After
nine years and over 135,000 citations or arrests of poor and homeless people
for so-called "quality of life" violations, homelessness is of an even
greater magnitude than ever in this city. Multi-millions of taxpayers' money
was squandered on that futile and inhumane approach.
We are convinced that Prop N would set us on just such a road once again. San
Francisco voters should reject Prop N.
Religious Witness with Homeless People
P.O. Box 420486 San Francisco, CA 94142-0486
Phone: (415) 929-0781 Fax: (415) 929-0783 E-mail: RelWitHome@aol.com | 
