San Francisco’s ongoing struggle with homelessness sparked further controversy when Mayor Daniel Lurie decided to move 60 tiny cabins from the Mission District to an industrial area in Bayview. This move prompted Supervisor Shamann Walton of District 10 to label the mayor’s actions as “dishonest.” Walton, who has been a stern critic of the city’s handling of homelessness, is concerned that these cabins, which were initially devised as temporary housing, might spell an unwelcome escalation of shelter facilities in Bayview without proper dialogue with residents and businesses.
Although the city has defended the relocation, stating the cabins are being stored and won’t house anyone currently, Walton has accused Lurie’s administration of forgoing promised community engagement. “They are moving cabins from the Mission to Jerrold without any community process or engagement,” Walton told the SF Chronicle, expressing his disdain for what he perceives as a pattern of disregard for Bayview’s residents.
Emily Cohen, a spokesperson for the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing, maintains that the cabins will temporarily occupy “unused space” at Jerrold Avenue. Moreover, she assured that San Francisco has “no plans to operate the cabins and host clients while they are in storage,” according to the SF Chronicle. She highlighted that the future activation of the cabins at any site would be preceded by a “robust community engagement process.”…