Prop F will increase San Francisco’s homeless population, opponents say

SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — San Francisco voters are poised to pass Proposition F, a city ballot initiative that will require drug addiction screening before certain people can receive local cash welfare benefits.

The proposition, called “Illegal Substance Dependence Screening and Treatment Assistance,” had racked up 63 percent of votes as of Wednesday.

Mayor London Breed wrote on X Tuesday night, “We can’t just keep giving people money to overdose and die on our streets — we have to do more. Thank you to the voters for passing Prop F to bring more treatment and accountability to San Francisco.” Breed, a champion of Prop F, is seeking re-election.

Opponents acknowledged the measure is likely to pass, and described the outcome as “deeply disturbing.”

Jennifer Friedenbach, director of the Coalition on Homelessness, said, “It is deeply disturbing that in the middle of an unprecedented overdose epidemic, voters got a misleading and performative ballot issue that demonizes welfare recipients rather than helps them. San Francisco deserves better. Those suffering from addiction deserve actual solutions and real opportunities for treatment, not false promises and election year politics.”

California 2024 Primary Election Results

An average of 1-2 people die daily in San Francisco from overdoses. A homeless crisis is happening in parallel with the overdose epidemic, and Proposition F falls in the middle of both issues.

Under Prop F, single adults without dependents on local welfare — about 9,000 people a year — must be screened for illegal drug use. If they are found to be using drugs, an addiction specialist and the recipient would agree on treatment options that include residential care, a 12-step program, and replacement medication. There is no sobriety requirement, only that a person make a good-faith effort to participate in treatment if they want to receive cash assistance.

Opponents pointed out low California Primary Election voter turnouts.

“This was an exceptionally low voter turnout election and we know that low turnout electorates skew conservative,” said Laura Guzman, director of the National Harm Reduction Coalition. “It’s difficult to say that this electorate was representative of San Francisco.”

Guzman said even more people will become homeless in San Francisco because of Prop F. Some people will be denied welfare benefits if they addicted to illicit narcotics and refuse treatment options.

Guzman said, “What’s unfortunate is that residents are likely to see an increase in the unhoused population in the city if Measure F is implemented as described by supporters of the measure.”

Nearly 8,000 people are experiencing homelessness in San Francisco, the city’s most recent census shows. During one outreach operation by the city, the majority of people who were offered city shelter services refused to leave the streets, according to the mayor.

Leaders who are for and against Prop F disagree on solutions that will stem soaring overdose numbers and help a large homeless population. Opponents said the city’s affordable housing crisis is driving drug overdose deaths.

“The public suffering we continue to witness on our streets is the result of Mayor Breed’s failure to address housing affordability and homelessness all of which help drive the overdose crisis,” said Jeannette Zanipatin, California State Director of Drug Policy Alliance.

Zanipatin added, “Unfortunately the likeliest result of Measure F will be more people experiencing homelessness in San Francisco and less people getting the treatment they need. Together with local partners, we will be monitoring any developments with regard to Measure F’s implementation.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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