Many homeless people claim they are begging for money for food (as opposed to drugs or fortified wine).  Call their bluff.  Set up a food bank location on 6th Street.  Sell vouchers on the internet to those who want to give something to the homeless that are redeemable at the food bank. Luis Belmonte Read This Posty »

Stop all the touchy-feely nonsense, and start enforcing the laws.  Put more money into the police force instead of "feel good" programs.  Arrest and prosecute criminals, and clean up the streets.  For the cost of living in San Francisco, it is outrageous that I have to walk over human feces on my way to work downtown, while trying to avoid psychotic homeless people demanding money. Name Withheld Read This Posty »

I would like to suggest that you consider expanding the Southern boundary of the proposed new Community Court System beyond Harrison Street and to encompass all streets between Harrison and AT&T Park. I will list for you the reasons why this new court system should encompass AT&T Park and the surrounding East SoMa neighborhood. 1. We are faced with several law breaking corner liquor stores selling to already inebriated patrons. We have repeatedly relayed our displeasure to them and the consequences to the neighborhood they make their living in, but our complaints fall on deaf ears. 2. The above mentioned inebriates use our Read This Posty »

I don't know, maybe this solution is too simplistic, but here goes anyway.  It seems to me that if the panhandlers on the street never got any handouts from anybody, they would stop asking and try somewhere or something else.  So, how about if the City initiates a program that discourages people from giving money to panhandlers.  That would include signs in appropriate locations, a public announcement campaign directed at both citizens and visitors, and maybe even monitors on the street who would discourage anybody from giving out cash.  This might be considered another facet of our "Care Not Cash" Read This Posty »

Dear Mr. Newsom,                         As people come over the Bay Bridge they see the wonderful views and must think WOW, what a GREAT city.  Then they get off at 5th Street and Harrison and reality sets in. They see 1-3 people begging at this corner.  They see trash cans that have ravaged and their contents dumped by scavengers. Is this the first real impression we want to give visitors? Much has been done at this corner.  The street sweepers come every night and clean one side and then the other Read This Posty »

Make resource numbers and addresses easily accessible to the homeless. A project initiative to hand around cards, or put up billboards where they are needed most could spread information about healthcare, food, and shelter. This should also show philanthropists handing out money that there are resources for the homeless and they need not make matters worse by making those resources obsolete. Jacqueline Goldstein Read This Posty »

As a member of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul here in Phoenix, we have a "Need a Hand" card that we give to people on the street who have real needs .  The card has a Phoenix bus ticket stapled to it.  The card when tendered at a SVDP kitchen, shower or main facility, entitles the bearer to a meal, shower, shave, haircut, clothing, and job referral.  Citizens can purchase the cards with the attached bus ticket for $2.00 each.  It empowers the givers to make eye contact and acknowledge the needs of each human being who approaches Read This Posty »