Mayor Gavin Newsom's Director of Homeless Policy - Dariush Kayhan - Speaks to Members of BOMA San Francisco Government Affairs Committee

Rick Klagstad, Secretary for the BOMA San Francisco Government and Public Affairs Committee, and Dariush Kayhan

Dariush Kayhan, Mayor Gavin Newsom's Director of Homeless Policy, spoke to the BOMA San Francisco Government and Public Affairs Committee on November 4th to talk about San Francisco's efforts to end homelessness in the city. 

San Francisco's homeless population increased precipitously from the early 1980's through 2004 until Mayor Newsom's commitment to ending this issue in ten years via the Ten Year Plan.  By focusing on supportive housing, there has been a 26% decrease in overall homelessness and a 40% drop in street homelessness in the City and County of San Francisco. 

Mr. Kayhan mentioned that one of the biggest challenges for the city is the visual aspect of homelessness: Those that are homeless may have supportive housing but they are still on the streets.  "Tourists remember two things about San Francisco, the seals at Fisherman's Wharf and the homeless population" said Kayhan.  While he does everything in his power to notify those on the street that the city has shelter beds, including talking to them directly when he's walking in the city, he still has a large number of beds that go unused almost every night.

While San Francisco is doing it's part to help those without a home, Mr. Kayhan stated that this issue needs more resources from the State and Federal governments to truly make a difference.  Although San Francisco spends approximately $193 million annually--with 70% of that coming from the the City's General Fund--and with the tremendous efforts of Mr. Kayhan and the Mayor's office, homelessness remains a major problem.
 
You can read more about San Francisco's Homeless Program and Supportive Housing Strategy, here; the recommendations to Mayor Newsom from the San Francisco Streets and Neighborhoods Workgroup in 2008, and San Francisco Single Adult Homeless Summary Report (as of September 2009), here.  You can review Mr. Kayhan's presentation to the GAPAC, here. 


BOMA San Francisco thanks Mr. Kayhan for taking the time to speak to BOMA San Francisco GAPAC members.  We look forward to working with him and the Mayor's office to end homelessness in the city.