60% of San Francisco’s Homeless People Who Were Offered Housing Refused It, Mayor Says

San Francisco's mayor said Monday that the majority of homeless people spoken to by city workers in November refused the offer of shelter as temperatures dropped.

Mayor London Breed posted to X, explaining that outreach workers spoke to 350 people in homeless encampments last month. Of those, 60% refused help, while 117 people did take up the offer.

"This is why enforcing our laws is important. Our laws are for the health and safety of everyone," Breed said in her thread. "There are public safety challenges around encampments. There are threats of fire."

"We lead with compassion, but when we have resources — and we do — we need people to accept help," Breed added.

The mayor gave examples of such encounters, including at an encampment on 15th and Julian Streets. Fourteen people were found living there, and while four accepted shelter, 10 did not.

Breed said that September and October produced similar statistics.

"Our outreach workers will keep offering shelter, and with the addition of 300 more beds we’ve just opened, we have even more help to offer," she posted. "We are continuing to help people exit homelessness with financial assistance, relocation support, and housing options."

San Francisco is adding more incentives for people to exit homelessness, the mayor added, including new conservatorship laws which are designed to house those struggling with substance abuse or severe disability.

Critics have said the new measures could mean mentally ill people are held against their will.

In an update Tuesday, San Francisco city hall said there had been a 70% increase in those exiting homelessness through city programs. Between July 2022 and June 2023, there were 3,600 people placed in permanent supportive housing.

“Under Mayor Breed’s steadfast leadership, San Francisco has achieved this remarkable milestone moment of successfully transitioning thousands upon thousands of individuals from homelessness into sustainable housing solutions,” Executive Director of San Francisco’s Homelessness and Supportive Housing Department, Shireen McSpadden said in the update.

“Though a dynamic combination of compassion, innovation, and unwavering commitment, the City has provided stable homes that restore hope and dignity for people struggling to exit homelessness.”