Similar Programs
A similar program has existed for some time. In 2022, San Francisco bussed 857 homeless people to other California counties under the Homeward Bound program.
Source: Weston M/Unsplash
Another program in the state, Journey Home, was implemented in 2023. An untold number of people were given bus tickets to their home towns, and 27% of the individuals transported out of the city were sent to other counties in California.
How the Programs Work
Although people who accept the bus tickets are not required to have shelter waiting for them, they do need to have a prior connection, like an address listed somewhere on their documents.
Source: Jherico Agulay/Unsplash
Both the Homeward Bount and the Journey Home program operate together. They attempt to reconnect homeless individuals with their families at their final destination. They also provide cash, airfare, and other assistance to reach their destinations of choice.
Other Destinations for the Participants
The San Francisco Standard compiled a breakdown of some of the most popular destinations of participants.
Source: Wikimedia
The majority of the participants in the programs were sent to other counties in California, but many were sent as far as Florida, Indiana, and Ohio.
London Breed Initiates Executive Order
London Breed is the mayor of San Francisco and has been cracking down on homelessness with aggressive encampment strategies.
Source: @LondonBreed/X
According to her office, the executive order put in place on Thursday was necessary as city shelters are near capacity, and the number of homeless people living in the city has been rising steadily since the Covid-19 pandemic.
Rising Rates of Homelessness in the City
The city’s shelters reported being 94% full as of Thursday. As a general rule, the city tries to keep a total capacity of less than 95% in an emergency, and extra beds are needed for vulnerable people.
Source: Wikimedia
New information has shown that the number of homeless people moving to San Francisco has increased recently. Recent transplants used to make up 28 percent of the total homeless population in 2019 but have risen to 40 percent of the total homeless population in 2024.
Housing Initiatives in the State
There have been numerous housing initiatives in the state of California that have taken up billions in funding over recent years. However, the state isn’t able to keep up with the massive increase in homeless individuals.
Source: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
“We’ve made significant progress in housing many long-time San Franciscans who became homeless,” Breed said in a statement. “But we are seeing an increase in people in our data who are coming from elsewhere. Today’s order will ensure that all our city departments are leveraging our relocation programs to address this growing trend.”
Increased Homeless Encampment Sweeps
In addition to busing out homeless individuals, the city has taken a heavy hand on tent cities and homeless encampments. There have been several sweeps through the city where police descent to break down and throw out the personal items of people living in them.
Source: Mario Tama/Getty Images
“The goal of the engagements is to prevent re-encampments for areas recently cleared…SFPD will be able to offer connections and information about shelter or services and Public Works staff will follow all bag and tag policies,” Breed said in an interview.
Several Issues Cause the Homeless Crisis
Over the years, there have been several factors that go into creating the homeless epidemic.
Source: Ev/Unsplash
Things like rapidly rising house costs, elimination of social welfare programs, and reduction in job industrialization all contribute the rising separation in wealth inequality.
SF Is One of the Richest Areas in the Country
As a whole, San Francisco County is one of the four counties in California that has the 15 richest median household incomes.
Source: Antonio Gabola/Unsplash
As a state, California is ranked as having the fifth-highest household income in the United States. So many people are left wondering why so much poverty exists in the city.
Outrageous Home Prices
One of the biggest issues fueling inequality in San Francisco is the outrageous home prices. Some of the classic townhouses in the Mission district sell for close to $20 million, depending on the location, size, and quality.
Source: Josh Hild/Unsplash
As well, the average rent has reached record highs in the city at $3,287. People working low-wage service industry jobs are often pushed out of the city entirely to make room for high-earning tech employees who can just scrape by with the insane housing costs.
Will the Homeless Population Keep Growing?
As it stands, it appears that the homeless population in San Francisco and the rest of California will continue to grow. The warm winter weather is a perfect climate for someone to live outdoors all year long.
Source: Wikimedia
In the meantime, the Newsom government will continue to spend billions on the problem that seems like it’s only getting worse over time.