A Publication of the Coalition on Homelessness
by Ian James, Yessica Hernandez and Migeul Carrera
The Oasis Inn family shelter once again sits empty, after the building’s owners decided to allow its lease with the City of San Francisco to expire at the end of January. The Oasis Inn provided shelter to dozens of unhoused pregnant people and families, including families fleeing domestic violence.
The City’s lease was originally scheduled to expire at the end of December.
by Javier Bremond
The Coalition on Homelessness, San Francisco has documented numerous violations of the preliminary injunction issued by a federal judge in their lawsuit against the City of San Francisco for violating the constitutional rights of unhoused San Franciscans.
In September 2022, the Coalition filed a lawsuit stating that the City has been unjustly sweeping homeless individuals by displacing them with no alternatives to adequate shelter,
by Lisa Willis
On February 2, 2021, my life took a sharp left turn, and I wasn’t ready for it!
As I’ve written before, my mom and I struggled a lot with homelessness, and often relied on each other to survive. But we were doing ok. My mom was working from home, and I had a job at a casino. The pandemic lockdown was coming to an end, at least in Reno,
by Lawrence Hollins
Today I’m turning the page, and I thank God for setting me free from that cage, and not sending me to my grave, because I had a crave, I was in a daze, and I walked around in a maze for days
My father God said it was just a phase, and that’s why you’re able to turn the page
From that ghetto vacation,
by Israel Bayer
Thousands of people die homeless every year in the U.S. In this piece, Israel Bayer, who leads INSP’s North American project, and has worked with street papers and people experiencing homelessness for more than two decades, recounts instances where his work brought him face to face with this terrible reality.
The winter of 2017 Portland, Oregon was hit with an unusually long ice storm.
by Anonymous
Few people believe disability rights is a racial justice issue. On face value, it isn’t. But did you know, although less than 3% of the total population, Black San Franciscans are twice as likely to be disabled than white San Franciscans?
How is this possible? How can somebody’s race make them more likely to be disabled or not?
While I don’t have all the answers to that question,
by Areli Hernandez
Until recently more than 4,000 homeless people had been living at a large encampment on Wood Street in West Oakland. That number has been reduced to around 50 by repeated sweeps led by CalTrans, which have displaced many former community members. A neighborhood nonprofit called Essential Food and Medicine, or EFAM, helps encampment residents by distributing healthy foods and medicines. The group’s main aim is to reduce homelessness in the Bay Area.
by Novalie Young
San Francisco has a high number of Black immigrants. The community began with the workers and entrepreneurs of the California Gold Rush in the 19th century, and in the early-to-mid 20th century, it grew as more migrant workers were drawn to the city. Since then, the Black community living here has attracted masses of other immigrants from developing countries in search of greener pastures.
The increased population of homeless people in the streets and shelters around the city includes some of these Black immigrants.
by Andy Howard
Will was mesmerized as he stared through the dirty window of a local coffee shop. Wind gusts of 70 mph and raindrops that mimicked fish eyes pummeled anyone and everything in their path. Will was grateful to be standing inside. What was it like to be the poor homeless couple across the street in their wind torn tent with a bivy tarp tied fast to anything heavy enough to keep the tent on the ground?
by Rupal Ramesh Shah
PLAY UNO
It is an easy game to learn if you can follow numbers and colors, and
a great way to bring people together.
DRINK WARM CHAI
Nothing soothes the heart like homemade chai on a cold or hot day.
Even better, try that cup of chai with cardamom, ginger, or saffron!
GIVE FIRM HANDSHAKES
Handshakes convey both confidence and collegiality.
