City makes big investment on homelessness

San Francisco is about to run out of excuses on homelessness. By a 3-to-2 ratio, voters approved a hefty business tax that nearly doubles the budget for housing, mental health and other services for the city’s unbudging numbers.

Doubts remain about Prop. C’s workability, design and legality — concerns that led us to oppose the measure — but the plan passed, and it’s time to look forward. Its appeal rested on taxing the top tier of the business sector led by prosperous tech firms and a plain wish for a game-changing answer to a persistent human issue visible in every neighborhood. The gross receipts levy could raise up to $300 million yearly.

The impact of Prop. C could be significant: Half of the money will go to housing, a quarter to mental health services and the rest to other programs. There are an estimated 7,000 people on the sidewalks every day, with thousands more in shelters and apartments.

The public expects results that will clear the streets and alleviate suffering. The spending surge must be accompanied by tough decisions to express the city’s seriousness about getting people off the streets: including conservatorships for chronically homeless people who can’t care for themselves, bans on tent encampments and other “quality of life” measures that many of the advocates who pushed Prop. C have consistently opposed.

The money may not flow right away, with the likelihood of a court challenge over whether Prop. C needed twothirds approval. But it’s not too early for the mayor to work with all stakeholders — not just the advocates who pushed the initiative — to refine the plan to make sure this huge infusion of dollars is spent as efficiently and effectively as possible.