Comment on Informational Item A from 6/17 Meeting

[Evvan Burke]

Hello, 

I wanted to respond to some comments made yesterday regarding the Board Priorities Survey, specifically around the issue of Homelessness and how to address it within the purview of the Council.

First and foremost, while I agree that drug addiction and mental illness are issues we need to address, in this context it’s important to understand that they are often symptoms, not causes, of homelessness. While it may sometimes seem counterintuitive, I’d urge you to consider this from the perspective of the unhoused. Living on the streets is uncomfortable, dehumanizing, and often scary. Imagine how it would feel, physically, if you could not regularly shower or change into clean clothes. Imagine if you had nowhere to go when you were hot or cold or wet. If you could rarely sleep properly or comfortably without feeling like you might be robbed or harassed.

From that perspective, one can see how homelessness can often lead to drug addiction (as a coping strategy or, in some cases, as a tool to remain alert in dangerous or unstable situations). In their 2025 study, UCSF found that 23% of respondents only began using drugs regularly after they first experienced homelessness.  Furthermore, while 65% of respondents had reported using drugs at some point in their life, only 37% were currently regular drug users. Similarly, one can see how poor sleep, stress, and lack of privacy could cause or exacerbate mental health issues.

When viewed with that in mind, it becomes obvious why certain efforts are unsuccessful: you cannot solve the symptom without addressing the cause. All people need a secure place to rest, consistent food, regular access to sanitation, privacy, and dignity to thrive. Someone in the middle of a mental health crisis needs that security before they can receive effective treatment.  Similarly, expecting someone addicted to drugs or alcohol to give that up without first addressing the reasons they use it in the first place is next to impossible. And, as we can see from the linked study and many others, addressing those things alone will do little to actually reduce the number of unhoused people.

For that reason, I hope the Board will direct their attention away from policing where food is being distributed and instead prioritize Housing First policies.  From a zoning perspective, that includes zoning for new housing (both high rise and smaller duplex/triplex development where applicable).  It also means zoning to allow the construction of shelters that prioritize long term stable housing for those who need it.  Beds are necessary and important, but shelters that require people to leave with their belongings during the day expose them to the same uncertainty as before.  Long term shelter means a place to store your belongings, receive mail, recover and more.

In all other ways, I appreciated the insight the Board Priorities Survey provided, and hope to help in accomplishing them where I can.

 

Thank you