San Francisco County Grand Jury
• 2012-2013
Golden Gate Park’s Homeless Population Are San Francisco’s Policies Serving Us Well?
⚠️ Translation Notice: This content has been automatically translated. The original English text is the official version. Translation may contain errors.
⚠️ Este contenido ha sido traducido automáticamente. El texto original en inglés es la versión oficial. La traducción puede contener errores.
Findings and Recommendations 7 findings
F1
City agencies lack specific data on the characteristics of GGP dwellers, which prevents accurate profiling of individual problems and needs.
Related Recommendations (1)
R1
The City should formalize a system to gather information on the characteristics of GGP dwellers and why they live in the Park.
F2
With better information about GGP dwellers, their histories, and their needs, the City would be better able to move these individuals out of the Park, into a more stable situation.
Related Recommendations (1)
R2
Information about GGP dwellers should be used to tailor support services to specific populations, whose age and circumstances affect their needs and acceptance of services. 2. Outreach and Enforcement Efforts Contact with dwellers in Golden Gate Park is currently a combined enforcement and outreach effort led by the San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) and Park Patrol. Two Park Codes directly relate to GGP dwellers (See
F3
Because the City does not track individual park dwellers and their interactions with social services, it is difficult to determine the efficiency and success of outreach efforts in reducing the park population.
Related Recommendations (1)
R3
The City should establish a system to track its outreach efforts among park dwellers and use the information to evaluate effectiveness in reducing the number of park dwellers. 15
F4
Limitations on outreach efforts by EST, SFPD, and Park Patrol to GGP encampments has an inhibiting effect on positive results.
Related Recommendations (1)
R4
The Engagement Specialist Team (EST) should conduct in-person, proactive outreach to park dwellers at different times of the day and night in order to maximize their efforts.
F5
The current system of issuing citations for nighttime sleeping and camping in the Park is not effective in reducing the current number of park dwellers.
Related Recommendations (1)
R5
The SFPD and Park Patrol should expand their outreach to GGP encampments to more areas of the Park and should vary the time.
F6
Signs and public information about the Park closure time are inconsistent and confusing.
No recommendations for this finding
F7
Shopping carts facilitate moving personal items into the Park and setting up an encampment.
Related Recommendations (1)
R7
The San Francisco Park Code should ban shopping carts in GGP in order to discourage living in the Park and to reduce litter. Response Matrix