Homelessness Study Session
April 1, 2025
Overview
2 Legal
Framework
State of
California
San Mateo
County
South San
Francisco
Other
Cities
Discuss
Potential
Solutions
Legal Framework
Legal Framework | Federal Case Law
4 Martin v. Boise
•Cannot criminalize
sleeping in public if no shelter is available (Eighth Amendment) Johnson v. Grants Pass
•Initially expanded
protections; overturned by Supreme Court in 2024
•Enforcement of
camping bans allowed if not based on housing status
Legal Considerations
5 • Cruel and unusual punishment
8th Amendment
• Search/seizure and due process protections
4th and 14th AmendmentsEnforcement must consider all constitutional limitations State of California
State of California
7 Governor Newsom
Prioritizing encampment resolution
New Funding Accountability Platform accountability.ca.gov Homeless Housing, Assistance, and Prevention (HHAP)
Performance-based with claw back provisions
San Mateo County
San Mateo County | Hopeful to Horizons Ordinance
9 Misdemeanor for encampment after two written warnings/offers of shelter•Diversion programsCannot dismantle encampment unless there is appropriate shelter for each person there•Pets•Gender•Sexual orientation•Families•Age San Mateo County | Encampment Resolution Fund (ERF)
10 Dignity on Wheels•Every 3rd Monday at Parking Lot 7 (371 Miller) •Showers•Laundry•Other hygiene services
Priority areas in SSF•South Maple Avenue•Lowrie Avenue•Area near southbound Hwy 101 offramp at Produce AvenueERF focus•Mental health•Physical health•Substance abuse•Counseling•Shelter/housing opportunities that offer long-term solutions San Mateo County | Point in Time Count Trends
11 San Mateo County | Point in Time Count Trends
12 San Mateo County | Point in Time Data Trends
13 Geographic Location 2013 2015 2017 2019 2022 2024
Atherton 0 1 0 1 3 2
Belmont 43 11 3 7 13 22
Brisbane 34 21 19 4 6 11
Burlingame 13 7 21 25 10 40
Colma 7 3 1 8 1 11
Daly City 27 32 17 66 49 72
East Palo Alto 119 95 98 107 169 81Foster City 7 0 6 4 4 4 Half Moon Bay 114 84 43 54 68 20
Hillsborough 0 0 0 0 0 0
Menlo Park 16 27 47 27 56 74
Millbrae 21 8 7 9 9 22
Pacifica 150 63 112 116 161 180
Portola Valley 2 0 1 0 0 0
Redwood City 306 223 94 221 245 189
San Bruno 98 8 26 12 63 75
San Carlos 10 20 28 30 14 29
San Francisco Int. Airport 5 1 3 21 14 23
San Mateo 103 82 48 74 60 95
South San Francisco 172 55 33 42 42 79
Unincorporated 46 32 30 73 105 114
Woodside 6 2 0 0 0 2
Total 1,299 775 637 901 1,092 1,145
San Mateo County | Shelter | Parking
14 Unused Beds Ban on
overnight
parking for
oversized
vehicles
Safe Parking
Program
South San Francisco
South San Francisco| Homeless Outreach Team (HOT)
16 City of
South San
Francisco
LifeMoves San
Mateo
County
Samaritan
House
YMCA St.
Vincent
de Paul
Outreach Services Teams
18 LIFEMOVES | BREAKING THE CYCLE OF HOMELESSNESS
Homeless Outreach Team (HOT)
What Do We Do?
•The Outreach team connects with the hardest-to-reach and most vulnerable members of our community. We enter encampments, work under bridges, and engage clients near freeways—wherever we’re needed.•Our team is out in the community rain or shine, hot or cold, serving as the boots on the ground and working in the trenches!•We take a holistic approach to serving our clients, tailoring case plans to support shelter requests, housing placement, substance use treatment, physical and mental health care, and income stability. We think outside the box to help clients overcome barriers to housing and reintegrate into society.
New Homeless Outreach Team (HOT) 2.0 Program
19 New Homeless Outreach Team (HOT) 2.0 program:HOT 2.0 is divided into 4 regions and recently has expanded regional coverage throughout San Mateo County (SMC):- Region 1 coverage: Daly City, San Bruno, Colma, Millbrae, Burlingame, Brisbane, South San Francisco - Staffing consists of 2 Outreach Specialists (day/evening), 3 Outreach Case Managers, 1 Program DirectorEncampment Resolution Funds (ERF) ProgramERF LifeMoves program serves 19 of 26 ERF identified encampments throughout San Mateo County (SMC).• Region coverage: Region 1(North County), 3 (Bayside), 4 (South County) & individuals housed• Staffing consists of 4 Outreach Case Managers (1 Bilingual Spanish speaking Case Manager) and 1 Program Director.
• South San Francisco ERF encampments include #6, #7 and #8 20 LIFEMOVES | BREAKING THE CYCLE OF HOMELESSNESS
Success with HOT teams
o Homeless Outreach Team (South San
Francisco)
• Calendar Yr 2024• Engaged with 268 individuals
• 134 Linked to coordinated entry system
• Placed 115 in Interim Housing( Shelter)
• Housed 15 individuals.
o Success Story
• 56 year old Latino Male • First enrollment into HIMS, February 2016, LifeMoves HOT, Housed in October 2024
Point of contacts
21 Sarah Fields - Director, Community Engagement & Public [email protected] Lomeli- Encampment resolution Funds Program [email protected](650)533-5527Marlon Mendieta- Region 1 (North County) HOT Program [email protected](650) 451-8299Barbara Flores- Associate Director of the Homeless Outreach [email protected] South San Francisco| Encampment/RV/Fire Heat Map
22 South San Francisco| Encampment Process
23 Private Property
Owner/Rep
requests No
Trespassing
Order
Issued by
SSFPD
Citation or
arrest for
noncompliance
South San Francisco| Encampment Process
24 Public safety, public health, or environmental concerns SSFPD issues written form, providing
48 hours to remove property
Coordination with Public Works for
encampment clean up
City Property | UPRR | Caltrans
SSFPD initiates contact Identify individuals Lifemoves maintains communication South San Francisco| SSFPD Unhoused Declining Services
25 Type Number Reason
RVs
5 SSFMC prohibiting 72-hour parking2
Vehicles 17 Expired registration more than six months
Boats 1
South San Francisco| Towing Challenges
26 Lack of tow
trucks large
enough to town
large RVs
Space to store
towed RVs
South San Francisco| Anchor Out Vessels | Milestones
27 November 2023 er 2023Three vessels burned
September 2024 ber 2024Mooring Ordinance Adopted
January 2025 ary 2025Mooring Ordinance Amendments
January 2025 nuary 2025On call agreements with salvage firms February 2025 February 2025Code Enforcement tags unoccupied non- compliant vessels February 2025 bruary 2025Issued call for bids from on call salvage firms South San Francisco| Anchor Out Vessels
28 Comparison to Other San
Mateo County Cities
Redwood City
30 RV Safe Parking
120
participants
Wait list |
Permit to
park on city
streets
Each
participant
assigned a
social
worker
Primary
goal to
move
toward
permanent
housing
Operated
by
LifeMoves
Prior to
program:
110 RVs
Program
ended
February
2023
60% of 91
moved into
permanent
housing
East Palo Alto
31 City of
East Palo
Alto
LifeMoves Project
WeHOPE
TUP for overnight
parking (beyond
Safe Parking
Program)
Enforces Oversized Vehicles Ordinance•Cites/tows vehicles parked between 2:00 –5:00 AM
Comparison to Cities in
Neighboring Counties
San Francisco | Safe Parking
33 155 vehicle capacity• Only 33 spaces
Lack of
electricity
Accessibility
issues
Diesel
generator
pollution
•
San Francisco
34 October 2024
•SFMTA: No
parking large vehicles 12-6 AM
December 2024
•BOS: Rescinded
SFMTA legislation
SFPD
•Can only issue
citations
New signage banning RV parking
•SFMTA Board
approval required
Berkeley | Encampment Policy Resolution to Promote
Healthy and Safe Neighborhoods
35 Exceptions to offering interim housing
when closing encampments
Fire hazard or emergency
condition Imminent health hazard Public nuisance
Located on City street
median, in roadway, or
other dangerous proximity
to traffic
Where City has authorized
work
Interferes/impedes City or
utility company
construction/maintenance
in public right of way
Mountain View | Safe Parking Program
36 Eligibility
Individuals or families
with children enrolled
in local school
Work or previously
lived in city
Seniors (55 or older)
People with disabilities
Services
Restroom and
hygiene facilities
Case management
and housing
navigation
Wraparound support
PPP
Private property
owners
Faith-based
organizations
Community
Integration
Neighborhood
outreach and
engagement to
ensure parking
locations are well
managed with
minimal impact
Potential Solutions
Beyond HOT
38 Emergency Rental
Assistance
• Administered by
YMCA
• $1M since 2020• Assisted 275+
households
• Pays past due rent• Avoids evictions
due to nonpayment
New Ordinance
• Relocation benefits
for displaced tenants
• Change in SRO
hotels and mobile home parks
Financial support to
nonprofits to prevent
homelessness
• Legal Aid of San
Mateo County’s Home Savers
• Rebuilding Together
Peninsula Minor Home Repair
Lot near 1461 San Mateo Ave
39 City owned 250’ x 60’
RV storage
capacity: 36-40
Safe Camping
space
capacity: 18-24
RVs
Lot near 1461 San Mateo Ave | Concerns & Costs
40 May attract more
RVs than current
footprint and
beyond available
resources
Site upgrade costs:
$150k - $250k
Site Staffing &
management
recurring costs
would be in
addition
Potential lease to
contracted tow
company
Other Agencies’ Experience
41 SF Bayview Vehicle Triage Center Challenges (Closed)•Infrastructure•Environmental•Legal•UnderutilizationSan Jose Safe Parking (Active)•Strict requirements (operational, insured, current registration)•UnderutilizationRedwood City Temporary RV Safe Parking•Managed by LifeMoves•Capacity for up to 40 RV households•60% of 91 participating households had moved into permanent housing by program conclusionPacifica Safe Parking•Managed by Pacific Resource Center (PRC)•29-day permits; renewable upon expiration •13 dedicated parking spots•City pays for parking space striping, police patrol, co-hosting mobile dumping station Homelessness Study Session
City of South San Francisco
THANK YOU