Understanding Homelessness - The History and Cause

Homelessness in San Francisco emerged as a major crisis in the early 1980s, driven by a combination of federal and state cuts to mental health and public housing programs, rising housing costs, economic shifts such as deindustrialization, and a growing population of vulnerable groups including Vietnam veterans. Early city responses, like temporary shelters and emergency services, proved inadequate as the problem grew, while later efforts focused on more comprehensive service centers and support programs, though these too struggled with underfunding and controversy. The Homelessness Oversight Commission, leads efforts to ensure transparency and accountability in the city’s response, aiming to address both the historical roots and ongoing drivers of homelessness through informed oversight and strategic planning.  

Join Dr. Jonathan Butler and Bevan Dufty for this important conversation.

BIOS

Dr. Jonathan Butler is Chair of the San Francisco Homelessness Oversight Commission and a research faculty member in the Department of Family and Community Medicine and the Center for the Study of Adversity and Cardiovascular Disease at UCSF. He also serves as associate director of UCSF’s Black Health Initiative and is active in community leadership, including roles with the NAACP San Francisco Branch and the San Francisco African American Faith Based Coalition.

Bevan Dufty is a longtime San Francisco public servant and current Commissioner on the city’s Homelessness Oversight Commission, with a career spanning over 40 years in government, including two terms as a San Francisco Supervisor and leadership roles addressing homelessness and public transit. He is known for pioneering innovative solutions such as the city’s first Navigation Center and has been a dedicated advocate for expanding supportive housing and services for homeless and vulnerable populations.

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