Homeless sleep safely in tent city by City Hall
PITCHED near the steps of San Francisco City Hall, row after row of tents offer protection to the homeless amid the pandemic.
The first ‘Safe Sleeping Village’ opened this week to house up to 50 people. Each tent sits in a clearly marked plot spaced two metres apart to abide by social distancing rules.
Another campsite is located in a McDonald’s car park. Both offer a safe sleeping area in a fenced-off space. Toilets, hand-washing stations and 24-hour security are also in place.
Much of the city’s homeless community has been uprooted from shelters by coronavirus, which has killed more than 3,200 Californians.
Mayor London Breed tweeted: ‘While in normal times I would say we should focus on bringing people inside, not sanctioning tent encampments, we frankly do not have many options right now.’