San Francisco Voters Express Frustration with Tent Living

Voters appear to have passed the most contentious ballot measure in San Francisco, Proposition Q, that allows city workers to remove tent encampments if shelter is available. Voters in other Bay Area counties passed taxes for affordable housing.

2 minute read

November 11, 2016, 8:00 AM PST

By Irvin Dawid


Homeless Encampment

This sight is becoming more common in cities all over the country, including San Francisco. | Joshua Rainey Photography / Shutterstock

"San Francisco voters were venting their frustrations over homeless tent encampments in election returns Tuesday, while throughout the Bay Area a flurry of big-bucks ballot measures aimed at creating housing for homeless people was mostly on pace for approval," reports Kevin Fagan is a longtime reporter at the San Francisco Chronicle.

The hot-button homelessness issue on the San Francisco ballot was Proposition Q, which would let city workers remove tents from the street with 24 hours’ notice, provided that the transients in them were offered shelter or a ticket out of town to be reunited with family or friends.

However, there was no funding for housing in the measure. The sales tax increase, Proposition K, that would have funded new housing and transportation spending, was overwhelmingly rejected by voters, receiving less than 35 percent of the vote.

Prop. K would have boosted the city sales tax [by .75 percent] to 9.25 percent to generate the new money — including $100 million annually for transportation — and Prop. J establishes a special fund for spending homelessness allocations.

As of Thursday morning, Prop. Q was passing with 52.78 percent of the vote, but the result has yet to be certified despite 100 percent of precincts reporting due to mail-in ballots yet to be counted.

Fagan also reports on ballot measures in other Bay Area counties that provide funds for affordable housing that were approved by voters:

  • Measure A in Santa Clara County, which would direct $950 million in bond money toward supportive housing, needed to pass with a two-thirds majority, which it barely reached, with 67.35 percent voting 'yes'.
  • Alameda County’s $580 million Measure A1 bond also needed two-thirds approval. It passed with 72.32 percent of the vote.
  • San Mateo County’s $300 million Measure K half-cent sales tax extension, which required a simple majority, won with 70 percent.

Related in Planetizen:

Tuesday, November 8, 2016 in San Francisco Chronicle

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

Use Code 25for25 at checkout for 25% off an annual plan!

Interior of Place Versailles mall in Montreal, Canada.

Montreal Mall to Become 6,000 Housing Units

Place Versailles will be transformed into a mixed-use complex over the next 25 years.

May 22, 2025 - CBC

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.

May 28, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

White and yellow DART light rail train in Dallas, Texas with brick building in background.

DARTSpace Platform Streamlines Dallas TOD Application Process

The Dallas transit agency hopes a shorter permitting timeline will boost transit-oriented development around rail stations.

May 28, 2025 - Mass Transit

A curb extension at the end of a block landscaped with small shrubs and pink flowers in residential neighborhood.

Nine Ways to Use Curb Space That Aren’t Parking

California’s new daylighting law bans parking within 20 feet of crosswalks. How can cities best use this space?

June 1 - CalBike

White accessory dwelling unit in backyard of small grey home in Seattle, Washington.

ADUs for Sale? San Diego Could Legalize Backyard Condos

As one of 25 proposed amendments, San Diego may soon allow accessory dwelling units to be bought and sold as individual homes.

June 1 - KPBS

View of mostly full parking lot next to multi-story red brick buildings with modern glass skyscraper in background in downtown Dallas, Texas.

Dallas Ditches Parking Minimums in 14-1 Vote

The sweeping city council decision removes set parking requirements from developments downtown, near transit, small businesses and more.

June 1 - Strong Towns

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.

Please login or create a new account to proceed. You will need a Planetizen account to post a job, news, or an announcement.