In Big City Mayor Elections, Homeless Crisis Looms Large

San Francisco Mayor London Breed has launched a crackdown on people sleeping outside in a campaign to clear homeless encampments. Her four challengers in November's election, all Democrats, say she hasn't handled the crisis effectively, though the city last month counted only 300 tents and other temporary structures, which is half as many as a year earlier. It's a similar story in other big US cities electing mayors this year. Most are in the West, where a long-running homelessness crisis was spurred by high housing costs and deepened during the pandemic, reports the AP. Details:

• The numbers: A 2023 count found there were 653,000 people experiencing homelessness at a given time nationwide, an increase of 63,000 from a decade earlier.
• The debate: Most big-city mayors and candidates—nearly all Democrats—say more affordable housing and services for people experiencing homelessness are needed. The problem: whether it's acceptable to force people off the streets.
• In San Diego: Larry Turner, who is trying to unseat Mayor Todd Gloria, says the incumbent is overemphasizing temporary housing, including a plan to turn a warehouse into a 1,000-bed shelter. Gloria's campaign says he is working on both short-term and permanent housing.
• In Phoenix: Matt Evans is arguing that incumbent Kate Gallego hasn't done enough to enforce laws and clear encampments. Gallego opposes what she calls the criminalization of homelessness and has added hundreds of shelter beds.

• In Denver: Mike Johnston's first six months as mayor last year, the city moved 1,000 people into hotels, a community of cabin-like structures, and other transitional housing.
• In Los Angeles: The city with the US' biggest unsheltered population saw Karen Bass take office in December 2022 and sign an emergency order making it easier for the city to contract with hotels to provide shelter. LA's total dropped by 2% in January, the first decrease after years of increases.
• The stakes: Elections could turn on the issue. "Mayors can make a huge difference," said Ann Oliva, executive director of the National Alliance to End Homelessness.
• The people: Michael Johnson, 41, who is homeless in San Francisco, says no one has offered him appropriate housing and, wherever he goes, he's always moved again by authorities. "This is a merry-go-round," he says. "It don't matter if I stay at the location I'm at or find a new one. Eventually, they'll be here."

(More homelessness stories.)