San Francisco has seen a dramatic change in the number of tents on city streets since a crackdown began last August. While the city says there are fewer homeless people living on the streets, there are still areas where problems persist.
For many on the streets, conditions have not improved and some homeless people say they are worse off today.
It’s the same pattern we’ve seen for months now when clearing out encampments in San Francisco: remove, rinse and repeat.
ABC7 News followed the head of the Department of Emergency Management during one of several daily sweeps conducted in different parts of the city.
“We are seeing improvements. It is a lot better than it used to be,” assured Mary Ellen Carroll, DEM executive director.
VIDEO: San Francisco’s unhoused tent count down by 60%, mayor says
San Francisco Mayor London Breed says the city’s tent count is down 60% since July.
The city reports that from August through October, outreach teams have conducted over 3,000 engagements with people in encampments. Of those, 365 offers of shelter were accepted.