Robert GrahamSan Francisco is dealing with its homeless epidemic by spending $16.1 million for 262 tents — an investment that breaks down to $190 a night or $61,000 per tent per year. The tents will be placed in empty lots around the city, creating what officials are calling “safe sleeping villages.” The city will also provide food and other services.
“The annual cost of one spot in one site is 2½ times the median rent for a one-bedroom apartment in San Francisco,” the San Francisco Chronicle reported.
The report continued:
City leaders are under enormous pressure to address the city’s swelling homeless population, which has become more worrisome and visible amid the pandemic as traditional shelters have had to cut their capacity and other services have been disrupted. But several officials said Wednesday that the tent program — which is not eligible for federal reimbursement — is staggeringly expensive and must be re-examined, especially amid the $650 million budget deficit that San Francisco projects over the next two years.
