The Latest on a proposed homeless shelter in San Francisco’s Embarcadero (all times local):
10 p.m.
San Francisco port commissioners have approved a proposal to put a temporary homeless shelter along the Embarcadero.
Tuesday night’s unanimous vote authorizes the port to lease a parking lot to the city for two years to house a 200-bed shelter. The new center would be part of Mayor London Breed’s pledge to open 1,000 new shelter beds by 2020.
San Francisco is dealing with a housing shortage even as rental and housing costs soar with an influx of wealthy tech workers.
The waterfront area is a big draw for tourists and is densely populated, with high-priced condos as well as apartments housing thousands of families.
Opponents have heatedly argued that a shelter would be a health and crime hazard. Supporters call the critics heartless.
A neighborhood opposition group calls the vote illegal and says it’s considering legal action.
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3:31 p.m.
San Francisco port commissioners are deciding whether to approve a new homeless shelter along the city’s touristy and residential Embarcadero.
Angry waterfront residents have packed meetings opposing the shelter that could house up to 200 people. They even shouted down Mayor London Breed, who proposed the shelter, and have vowed to sue if it’s approved.
Supporters say the homeless need a safe place to sleep and that the city is in crisis.
The Port of San Francisco owns the land for the proposed shelter site. Staff are recommending commissioners approve an initial two-year lease with the city’s homelessness department in a vote Tuesday.
The idyllic site has sparked an intense debate among residents, with both sides raising hundreds of thousands of dollars online in campaigns for and against the shelter.
