Homeless and New Street Art Program Covered in ISPN Spring Town Hall
Murals in the middle of a street intersection? That sounds like something featured in the series “Portlandia” Well you would be correct, the city’s program called Painted Intersections comes from a successful program in both in Portland, Oregon and Seattle, Washington. The challenge is that San Francisco’s has yet to finalize the requirements for the murals; even the paint that is used in Portland, is not allowed in the state of California.
The mural program will be overseen by MTA, the planning department and public works. Although the specific guidelines have not be decided on, it has been vetted and approved by the SF Planning Green Connections plan. Natalie Burdick from Walk SF presented an overview of the program and how it fits in to Vision Zero, the city’s road safety policy that will build safety and livability into our streets. The plan is to protect the one million people who move about the city every day with a goal of zero traffic deaths by 2024.
Several possible Inner Sunset locations were brought up at the meeting, an intersection on Hugo or on Kirkham at the base of the Hidden Garden Steps but there were concerns that both locations have too much traffic. The murals can not be in intersections with traffic signals or heavy traffic but the exact requirements have yet to be set.
The general feeling was, “let’s wait and see” what the city decides before we start any further discussion. Burdick mentioned that two neighborhoods are ready to go, she didn’t give us their exact location but we can visit them and become inspired once the city let’s them paint their murals.
Rann Parker from the Homeless Outreach Team (SFHOT) spoke on both the program and how we can use the services with the homeless in the Inner Sunset. SFHOT team can provide basic medical assistance such as changing bandages, treating skin issues and general wound care. You can call 311 or their outreach dispatch (415) 734-4233. They have team members out from 6am-9pm throughout the city. They also have a referral line (415) 470-3201 or email sfhotreferral@sfdph.org. She did stress that if someone is in danger or acting dangerously, you should always call 911.
In terms of neighborhood action, Parker mentioned North Beach Citizens group which has raised money to help the homeless in their community. She said it is always better to give money directly to organizations that support the homeless rather than giving food or money to a homeless person.
Homeless issues are overwhelming in our expensive city which lacks affordable housing. Parker explained some of the basic logistics of being homeless, such as where you do leave your belongings if you have to go to a doctor’s appointment downtown? And she highlighted some innovative citywide programs that are starting to make a difference. Mobile programs like Pit Stop (mobile toilets) and Lava Mae (mobile showers) are current programs in the Mission and the Tenderloin. The city has also opened up the Navigation Center in the Mission, a one-stop place for homeless people who refuse shelters and other city services.