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Service providers urge supervisors to restore $14.8 million for homelessness services
Summary
A broad set of homelessness advocates and formerly unhoused speakers urged the Budget and Finance Committee to add back roughly $14.8 million to fund housing subsidies, full-service shelters, emergency vouchers and mental-health and employment services.
Scores of service providers, advocacy groups and people with lived experience told the Budget and Finance Committee their top budget priority was restoring funding for homelessness services.
Speakers representing the Homeless Emergency Service Providers Association (HESPA), the Coalition on Homelessness and partner organizations pressed supervisors to restore roughly $14.8 million in add‑back funding. Testimony repeatedly requested money for three broad priorities: housing subsidies to prevent eviction and secure placements; replacement and expansion of full‑service shelters (including a Bayview replacement); and increased mental‑health and low‑threshold services for unsheltered people.
Advocates framed the request as both humane and cost‑effective. One speaker noted, "Each chronically homeless person who isn't in supportive housing cost taxpayers $80,000 year per year in jail expenses, ambulance rides, and emergency care. If these individuals were in supportive housing, it would only cost 20,000 per person per year." Other speakers emphasized that the mayor—s budget spent a larger share on policing and proposed taser funding that community groups oppose.
Speakers included service‑provider leaders, organizers and residents with direct experience of homelessness. The testimony asked supervisors to prioritize subsidies and supportive services rather than increased policing costs, and urged a rapid release of any add‑back funds so nonprofits can contract and operate programs.
The committee did not adopt HESPA requests at the hearing. Chair Malia Cohen said the committee would publish a revised spending plan next Monday and reconvene June 21 to consider changes.
Speakers quoted in this article are from public comment recorded in the committee hearing, including Kelly Cutler and other Coalition on Homelessness and HESPA representatives.
