Homelessness in San Francisco
I’m in San Francisco for the Ad:Tech conference. I have some spare time between running around so I’d thought I’d write my first blog post.
Every time I visit San Francisco., I’m blown away by how large the homeless population is in this city and for some reason they are more aggressive then anyplace I have ever been.
I make it a rule to not give anyone money, unless of course they are selling the Street Sheet, by the Coalition on Homelessness, San Francisco. The Street Sheet is a local newspaper style publication produced to give the homeless a way to make a buck. I’m a big supporter of this paper, as it serves a dual purpose. It gets information out to the public about the problems and issues facing the homeless and it gives people a way to make money without sitting idle. I make it a point to buy one on every visit down here, I also like chatting with the people selling them as they are mostly nice and have something interesting to say.
STREET SHEET is a monthly tabloid written primarily by homeless and formerly homeless people that provides its readers with a perspective on homelessness that mainstream media simply cannot match. It provides a unique opportunity to its vendors as well: a dignified alternative to panhandling. The STREET SHEET (cover price $1) is given free to qualified poor and homeless San Franciscans, who get to retain 100% of the proceeds from their sales. Last year, the paper celebrated its 15th anniversary, making it the oldest continuously published street newspaper in the world.
Next time your in San Francisco and someone approaches you with a Street Sheet, buy one and tell them to keep it up.