Although the decision was not legally binding on HSH, it clearly expressed the Board’s view that the website should not be shut down. The resolution said the closure was a “travesty.”
Site F is located on dockland near Pier 94 and includes 114 mobile homes that housed up to 118 homeless people in April. The site was originally set up during the pandemic and was scheduled to remain in place until the health emergency ended. Mayor London Breed declared the state of emergency over on February 28.
HSH initially asked the port for a two-year extension, but the port refused. HSH then negotiated a ten-month agreement, which it said would allow time for the site to be wound up and properly closed.
The agreement was presented to the Ports Commission for “information purposes” at a meeting on April 11. Port officials told commissioners they would bring the matter back for a formal vote on April 25.
After the hearing, questions arose about the meaningfulness of the agreement.
The city’s severe shelter shortage has become even more significant since a federal judge barred the city from evicting tent camps in December 2022 because there are not enough shelter beds to support everyone sleeping on the streets of San Francisco . Testimony in the case showed the city’s bed shortage is over 4,000.
