Human Rights

Tent Cities Force San Francisco To Confront Homelessness

After a homeless encampment in San Francisco was deemed a "public nuisance," activists arrived while city officials cleared away tents.

Tent Cities Force San Francisco To Confront Homelessness
Getty Images / Justin Sullivan
SMS

In one of the country's most expensive places to live, how do you address homelessness?

San Francisco officials and activists confronted that question after a tent city on Division Street was deemed a "public nuisance."

In early February, protests broke out after city efforts to clear homeless encampments before the Super Bowl. Activists claim the mayor hasn't offered adequate housing solutions.

"They don't want other people, people with real money, quote-unquote, to see this," one homeless man told KTVU.

As it shuts down the Division Street encampment, the city's encouraging people to go to Pier 80, a shelter with health services and meals.

But some say it feels like a prison and that it doesn't have enough beds for the thousands of homeless in the city.

Estimates put the total number of homeless people in San Francisco at around 7,000.

This video includes images from Getty Images.