By Gina Simi, Carolina Morales, Eric Lukoff and Honey Mahogany
It’s time to finally do something about homelessness. For too long we have watched as this crisis has overtaken our City, affecting public services, transit, tourism, and businesses, while those directly impacted continue to suffer. For years now, San Francisco has put band-aids on the issue, but our elected leaders have yet to commit the resources necessary to adequately address this complex problem. With so much at stake, we need more than a band-aid. San Francisco needs a bold, evidence-based solution that is comprehensive and well-funded. We finally have one in Proposition C – Our City, Our Home.
As LGBTQ leaders in San Francisco, we recognize that finding real and lasting ways to reduce homelessness must go beyond politics and ideology. Our community has always been on the front lines, fighting for the most vulnerable and marginalized among us. It’s a legacy that we are proud to carry on as we advocate for viable solutions to homelessness, knowing that the LGBTQ community in particular is disproportionately impacted by this issue. It is estimated that our community makes up just 14 percent of the City’s population, yet 30 percent of those who are homeless identify as LGBTQ. Among homeless youth, the number jumps to nearly half. This is deeply personal for us.