S.F. drug-free housing bill sent back to committee after doctors raise concerns

"Dorsey's legislation only applies to future San Francisco permanent supporting housing - not the current supply - and it would only apply to either wholly city-funded housing, or proposals funded all or in part by abstinence-minded private sources. But in practice, supportive housing sites are built with a mix of local, state, federal, and sometimes private funds; none are wholly funded by the city or a single private source."

A plan to fund drug-free homeless housing in San Francisco was sent back to committee for revisions after medical and homelessness advocates raised concerns about eviction protections and construction feasibility. The medical society and coalition questioned whether low-income tenants could be evicted and whether drug-free requirements would make housing harder to build. The supervisor’s office reported an agreement in principle on clarifying eviction protections, with the bill scheduled for committee review again on May 28 after final language is set. The proposal would let future permanent supportive housing applicants choose between eviction for drug use on premises or eviction protections where drug use alone cannot trigger eviction. Current programs follow the latter approach, and the bill would apply only to future city-funded or abstinence-funded private proposals, creating practical funding challenges because supportive housing typically uses mixed public and private funds.

Read at Mission Local