Skewed Coverage Of The Homeless?

A San Francisco lawyer and housing activist questions the paper's focus on problematic street behavior and on law enforcement as the only way to deal with the city's homeless population.

1 minute read

October 14, 2007, 11:00 AM PDT

By Nate Berg


This story from the San Francisco online daily BeyondChron offers an informed local perspective on the San Francisco Chronicle article on the homeless that was posted on the Planetizen website on October 10.

The Chronicle piece, which appeared on the paper's front page, tells how residents of the famously progressive city are fed up with the anti-social behavior of homeless people living on the street and are calling for a police crackdown.

That perspective is badly skewed, says BeyondChron's Randy Shaw, a San Francisco lawyer and housing activist. After marking the quarter-century shortfall of federal housing funds -- a development ignored by the Chronicle -- Shaw writes:

"You would never know from the Chronicle's recent reporting that San Francisco has housed 2062 Care Not Cash recipients since 2004, and over 4000 homeless single adults overall. Better to foster the impression that homeless people do not want housing, allowing the attitudes of a small minority to define the entire group."

Thanks to Zelda Bronstein

Friday, October 5, 2007 in BeyondChron

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

June 25, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Two people walking away from camera through pedestrian plaza in street in Richmond, Virginia with purple and white city bus moving in background.

Vehicle-related Deaths Drop 29% in Richmond, VA

The seventh year of the city's Vision Zero strategy also cut the number of people killed in alcohol-related crashes by half.

June 17, 2025 - WRIC

Two small wooden one-story homes in Florida with floodwaters at their doors.

As Trump Phases Out FEMA, Is It Time to Flee the Floodplains?

With less federal funding available for disaster relief efforts, the need to relocate at-risk communities is more urgent than ever.

June 16, 2025 - Governing

SEPTA Station

SEPTA Budget Slashes Service by 45 Percent

The Philadelphia-area transit agency is legally tasked with maintaining a balanced budget. Officials hope the state will come to the rescue with additional funding.

1 hour ago - Philadelphia Inquirer

Connecticut state capitol with gold dome and modern office buildings in background in Hartford, CT.

Connecticut Governor Vetoes Housing Bill

Gov. Lamont reversed his view on a controversial affordable housing bill that would have required municipalities to zone for set amounts of affordable housing to receive state funding.

2 hours ago - Housing Wire

"Street Subway - LIRR - Amtrak - NJ Transit" with Exit sign in front of stairway on subway platform at Penn Station with silver train stopped at right.

NJ Transit Trains Delayed by Extreme Heat

Breakdowns in the subway network’s HVAC system caused dangerously high temperatures on platforms, while heat-induced track expansion forced trains to slow down.

3 hours ago - News 12 New Jersey

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.