San Francisco’s homeless tent count has reached its lowest point since before the COVID-19 pandemic, with city officials reporting 165 tents and tent-like structures counted across the city in June 2025. The tally represents a dramatic 85% decrease from the peak of 1,108 tents recorded in April 2020, marking significant progress in the city’s ongoing efforts to address visible homelessness.
The June count fell by approximately 25% since the last quarterly count in March 2025, when 220 tents were tallied, according to Mission Local. The data shows that Apparel City — an area bordering Bernal Heights and Bayview — currently has the most tents, followed by South of Market and the Tenderloin neighborhoods.
Lurie Administration Continues Enforcement Strategy
Mayor Daniel Lurie, who took office in January 2025, has continued and expanded upon the enforcement policies initiated by his predecessor, London Breed. Lurie’s administration has operated a four-month pilot “triage center” on Sixth Street to connect individuals struggling with homelessness and drug addiction to services. The police department has also maintained a 24/7 “mobile-command unit” at the 16th Street BART plaza as part of the mayor’s operations to clean up the area.
Denny Machuca-Grebe, spokesperson for the Department of Emergency Management, emphasized that “the declines aren’t just numbers” but rather “a positive indicator of safer, healthier streets and more San Franciscans accessing help.” The Department of Emergency Management has taken the lead role in addressing homelessness issues, rather than relying primarily on the San Francisco Police Department or homeless nonprofits.
Persistent Challenges Despite Progress
While the tent count has declined significantly, challenges remain in addressing the underlying homelessness crisis. First quarter data from 2025 shows that 75% of outreach engagements resulted in refusals of shelter and services, an increase from 60% in May 2024. Of 925 engagements during the first three months of 2025, 696 resulted in refusals and only 229 led to shelter placements…