When it comes to the homeless, the Bay Area’s compassion has a limit

Bay Area residents have come to believe that homelessness is the region’s biggest problem — extending far beyond the borders of its major cities — and that it’s only getting worse. But their compassion toward their homeless neighbors only goes so far.

In a new five-county poll of registered voters, conducted for this news organization and the Silicon Valley Leadership Group, 89% of residents say homelessness is an extremely or very serious problem — up from 79% the year before. But while most voters support progressive solutions like tiny homes, a majority balk at certain proposals that would bring the unhoused into their communities, allow them to camp in public spaces like parks and sidewalks, or let them park on local streets.

That dissonance represents the essence of the homelessness crisis, and the reason it has proved so difficult to solve: Residents want to help, but most have their limits. And while everyone knows the homeless need somewhere to live, many people don’t want that somewhere to be near them.

“I think people are compassionate, and in Oakland and Berkeley in particular, there’s a lot of people who bring food and clothing and help out in ways they can to people in their neighborhoods,” said Dan Siegel, an Oakland-based attorney who represents homeless clients. “But there’s also a lot of people who are upset about the dirt, the rats, the garbage, and in some cases, substance abuse. And it’s not surprising, and I don’t necessarily condemn people for it. But it shows the limits of compassion.”

The survey polled 1,259 registered voters in Alameda, Contra Costa, San Francisco, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties — and voters everywhere had major concerns about homelessness. Seven in 10 reported the issue has gotten worse in their community over the past year. And for many, the crisis is personal — more than half of voters know someone who has been homeless.