San Franciscans Ready For Action On Homelessness

"San Francisco - the liberal, left-coast city conservatives love to mock - could be undergoing a transformation when it comes to homeless people. Although the city would still be a poor choice for a pep rally for the war in Iraq, indications are that residents have had it with aggressive panhandlers, street squatters and drug users."

"'Maybe there has been an epiphany,' says David Latterman, president of Fall Line Analytics, a local market research firm. 'People have realized they can hate George Bush but still not want people crapping in their doorway.'"

"Trent Rhorer, executive director of San Francisco's Human Services Agency, is at ground zero for homelessness concerns. He's heard it from local residents at meetings, he's read the polls, and he noted the huge response to Chronicle columns about the homeless people and intravenous drug users in Golden Gate park. Like others, he thinks there's been a change in the way San Franciscans think the homelessness problem should be approached."

"'I don't think this is a conservative or liberal thing,' he says. 'This is quality of life for everyone. What research has shown and what we have seen from visits to cities like Philadelphia, Chicago, Portland and New York is that you need to combine good social outreach with law enforcement.'"

"'Maybe,' Rhorer says, 'you just need a guy with a badge standing over them and saying, you can't stay there any more.'"