Contact: Jennifer Friedenbach—Coalition on Homelessness; 415.346.3740 x306; cell: 577-9779
What: Homeless people and their supporters will gather on the steps of city hall, speak out, and perform a mock relay up the inside steps of city hall to signify the “run-around” that homeless people must engage in to get a shelter bed.
When: Thursday, September 17, 2009, 10:00 a.m.
Where: 1 Dr. Carlton Goodlett Place, Rules Committee, Room 263—Group will meet at Polk Street entrance to City Hall, San Francisco
San Francisco – Homeless People and their supporters will be attending a hearing at the Rules Committee of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors to outline the shelter reservation system in what they describe as the “The Runaround” Homeless people will be conducting a mock “relay race” to illustrate the runaround faced by homeless people simply seeking a place to lay their bed each night.
According to a report, by the same title, released recently by the Coalition on Homelessness “The shelter reservation system is confusing, complicated, and constantly changing. Homeless people wait for hours to get a bed, only to be turned away, while the City reports vacant beds each night. The computer system used to make reservations for emergency shelter beds is frequently breaking down, dropping reservations, showing no vacancies, when in fact there are, or alternatively overbooking shelters.”
The City of San Francisco recently made dramatic changes to the shelter reservation system by closing shelter reservation sites, reducing lengths of stay and moving referral beds to the shelter reservation sites.
The hearing before the Rules Committee will focus on the impact of these changes, and attendees will have recommendations for improvements. Recommendations include ensuring more equity in the system, addressing computer failures, increasing lengths of stay, and improving accountability.
##30##