We see homeless people every day pushing carts piled high with garbage bags filled with everything they own. Now, we get to look inside and see what's inside some of those bags. The last item Markael Raybon shows us may surprise you.

Media: Kev

How can I help people experiencing homelessness? Should I give them money? What should I do if a homeless person is sleeping on my doorstep every night?

The questions that arise around homelessness in San Francisco aren't always easy ones and the answers can be quite complex. The most pressing question of where to find a bed—whether you're looking for shelter yourself or helping someone secure it—brings up a complicated system of shelter shortages, long lines and waitlists.

Below we aim to provide responses to some of the most common questions. 

How many people are homeless in San Francisco?

According to the 2015 homeless count, 6,686.

But really the number is elusive.

"Multiple government agencies have attempted to calculate the scope of homelessness, but accurately measuring it or its social and economic impacts is difficult, if not impossible," Joaquin Palomino writes in a story for the San Francisco Chronicle. "Homelessness can take many forms and is often a temporary status, making it hard to reliably track."

Many people think the number is between 10,000 and 12,000.

How many are mentally ill?

An estimated one third of people who are homeless have mental illness, according to the Mental Health Association of San Francisco. Depression is the most common disorder.

It's important to note that while many people become homeless because of mental illness, the actual experience of being homeless can cause and exacerbate mental illness. Studies show that even living on the street for one week is traumatic and has negative affects on both the body and mind. What's more, living on the street increases a person's chances of being a victim of rape and hate crimes, which also negatively impact one's mental state. 

What's the definition of homeless?

For the count, anyone living in a temporary shelter or with a nighttime residence not designed for sleeping — including a car, park, camping group, airport, abandoned building, bus or train station — was considered homeless.

But Project Homeless Connect Executive Director Kara Zordel reminds us, "Homelessness is an experience, it isn't a label [defining] a person. Just like someone isn't cancer, it's a difficult experience. When we use that word as a label, it makes it more difficult for someone to feel a part of the community. No one is homeless. No one is AIDS. Homelessness is an experience, not who a person is."

How many beds are there in shelters in the city?

The shelter system has 1,200—clearly not enough to provide housing for the some 7,000 who are homeless.

"A homeless person can get a one-night emergency shelter bed quickly," as reported in a San Francisco Chronicle article. "But anything else — supportive housing, longer-term shelter beds, mental health care, substance abuse services — requires a waiting list. If the waiting list is even taking new names. Some are so long, they're closed."

What's more, "Not only are there too few shelters," Zordel says, "But many don't feel safe — especially the nearly 30 percent of people experiencing homelessness who are LGBT. So not only do we need more housing, we need more safe spaces to keep our LGBT community experiencing homelessness safe. Especially our transgender community."

Is it true that homeless people from other parts of the country are coming to San Francisco for its services and benefits? 

The majority - 71 percent in the last count - became homeless while living in San Francisco. This is due to a wide range of reasons, from evictions to mental health issues.

In fact, only 1o percent said they were living outside California when they became homeless in the last count, and of those, only 22 percent came to the city for homeless services and benefits. 

"Other reasons for moving to San Francisco cited in the homeless count were that they were looking for work, that they sought acceptance in the gay community, that they were traveling through, or that family and friends are here," as reported in the San Francisco Chronicle. "In other words, the same reasons many of us came to San Francisco."

How can I help homeless people?

A good place to start is with empathy. It's easy to feel angry about the people sleeping on the street and choose to not see them at all, but what these people need is to feel like they're a part of the community. Do something to show you care. From simply having a conversation and offering a cup of coffee, to volunteering and donating money to charities serving homeless people.

Should I give homeless people money?

When someone asks you for money on the street, an emotional tug-of-war occurs between your intuition to help someone in need and your knowledge that handing them a couple dollars might contribute to their suffering rather than stop it.

It's commonly assumed that people living on the street ask for money to purchase drugs and alcohol and this is true to some degree. The most recent homeless count found that 37 percent of people who are homeless struggle with drug or alcohol abuse. But in many cases, someone might be asking for money for a bus fare, a cup of coffee or to feed a child, and what you decide do is a personal decision.

Remember simple acts of kindness, such as offering a pair of socks or a sandwich, go a long way.

That said, many experts say donations to charities over direct cash handouts are best because what homeless people really need is services and housing and these organizations can stretch your dollars and provide that cup of coffee as well as healthcare, food and shelter.

Where can I volunteer?

Volunteering will not only change your perspective, it will let the people experiencing homelessness known they aren't alone and their community cares. Below is a list of local organizations to investigate. Choose one that matches your philosophy.

Chronicle Season of Sharing 

Coalition on Homelessness

Dress for Success

Episcopal Community Services

Food Bank

Food Runners

Glide Memorial Church

Hamilton Family Center

HOME Away from Homelessness

Homeless Children's Network

Hospitality House

Project Homeless Connect

Raphael House

St. Anthony's

St. Vincent de Paul Society

What agencies should I donate to?

All of the organizations above appreciate monetary donations.

"I also love HandUp," Zordel says. "Instead of giving directly to someone who you don't know and perhaps don't want to pull out your wallet, HandUp insures donations go directly to whomever you choose and helps direct the funds toward vital items like food, clothes, housing or work related items like training certificate etc.."

She adds: "It's not only a great way to give, it's a way of actually connecting with the person experiencing homelessness as they must go to an agency to redeem the money given. So not only do they know a person cared for them, they know we all care and they aren't alone anymore."

What do I do if I see a homeless person___


If the person seems to need medical attention, call 911 immediately. Make clear that this is a medical not a police emergency.


If you feel safe doing so, you can introduce yourself and ask if the person is OK and needs a place to stay. You can call 311 and ask for the Homeless Outreach Team to come talk to the person and offer services and instructions on how to secure shelter. Or hand them a card with the toll-free hotline number for Project Homeless Connect (855-588-7968).


You can call 311 and ask for the Homeless Outreach Team if you see someone doing something inappropriate or harmful. If you're concerned for your safety or for the safety of someone experiencing homelessness, call 911. 

experiencing a psychotic episode?

If the person is in an immediate psychiatric crisis, check in with them before calling the city's
Mobile Crisis hotline at (415) 970-4000.

with a knife?

If you feel threatened by someone who is homeless, call 911 immediately.

But keep in mind, the decision of whether to call 911 to report a homeless person, should be the same thought process that you would use to report any threatening behavior from any person, regardless of their living situation. 

"The San Francisco Police Department spent $20.7 million a year responding to people's complaints to little effect, according to the Budget Legislate Office's latest report," Executive Director of the Coalition on Homelessness Jennifer Friedenbach said. "If someone is assaultive or breaking the law, call 911. If someone isn't threatening, there are other, better places to call."


San Francisco lacks a sufficient number of public restrooms and the best thing you can do is to contact elected officials and urge them to support building more.

A good place to start is with San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee and you can send him a message through his website sfmayor.org, email mayoredwinlee@sfgov.org or call (415) 554-6141. You can also reach out to your supervisor.

If your neighborhood specifically lacks public restrooms, contact the Department of Public Works and alert them of the need for "Pit Stops." 

"Until we have more safe places for people to do their humanly body functions, they will have to use the streets," Zordel says. "We can help by providing more safe places to do these private behaviors in a sanitary way."

What should I do if I see a homeless parent and child who seem to need help?

Parents with children should never sleep on the street. You can ask if they need help and refer them to the Compass Connecting Point for Families crisis toll-free hotline at (855) 234-2667 for immediate referrals to services and more permanent housing. If they need immediate housing that night, you can advise them to call the Hamilton Family Emergency Center at (415) 292-5228 at 11 a.m. sharp.

You can also call 311 and ask for the Homeless Outreach Team to come talk to the family and offer services and help in securing shelter.

What can I do if a homeless person is sleeping in front of my home or business? 


Or hand them a card with the toll-free hotline number for Project Homeless Connect (855-588-7968) and a list of the four reservation centers where they can enroll in the city's shelter program. 

"When you see someone suffering, say something," Zordel says. "I have businesses call me who are family-owned and they've lost customers due to people not wanting to walk over those experiencing homelessness outside their door. That's not OK."

What's more, Zordel says, "It's not safe for people to sleep outside. They risk being hurt — not to mention that many who experience homelessness have shorter lives. One U.K. study states most people who experience long-term homelessness die by 45."

She adds: "There is a difference between discrimination and hate towards those experiencing homelessness and calling for service that can help our brothers and sisters get back to a healthy and stable life."

I’m homeless, where can I get food?

To learn about the many food programs throughout the city, you can call Project Homeless Connect at (855) 588-7968 or visit projecthomelessconnect.org for a list of places throughout the city serving free and low-cost meals.

I’m homeless. How can I get a bed for the night?

You need to be enrolled in the city's Changes program to use shelters and you can only do this at one of the city's four reservation centers below. Once enrolled, you can visit these sites for first-come, first-serve beds available for one night only. One night beds begin to be available at 4:30 p.m. so arrive in the afternoon to secure a spot as they fill up quickly. 

  1. Mission Neighborhood, 165 Capp (between 16th and 17th streets), (415) 869-7977
  2. Bayview Hunters Point, 2111 Jennings (at Van Dyke), (415) 671-1100 
  3. Glide Walk-In Center, 330 Ellis St. (at Taylor), Suite 101, (415) 674-6012
  4. MSC South, 525 5th St. (at Bryant), (415) 597-7960

If you're enrolled with Changes, you can call 311 to be put on a shelter waitlist for a 90-day reservation. You can find out your status on the waitlist by calling 311, visiting one of the four centers or looking online at sf311.org/waitlist

If you need more information about how the system works, ask at one of the four reservation sites.