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Counting San Francisco's unhoused — and why you never ask if they are homeless

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Counting San Francisco's unhoused — and why you never ask if they are homeless


SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) — On a clear, mild night, groups of volunteers got ready to comb through the streets of San Francisco to find and count the number of people who are unhoused.

A reminder was given before they started to look for people on streets.

Each group was assigned a specific area.

The question “are you homeless?” was never asked. That’s not how the point-in-time count is conducted.

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Instead, they do a sight inspection, at times offering resources. Then they write down whether they think the person is confirmed, suspected or if no one on the block is unhoused.

“I’m assuming that because she’s out there, she’s sleeping,” explained Edgar Diaz, from Code Tenderloin, as to why he counted a woman on the street as homeless.

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But it helps that many of the volunteers and people working for the nonprofit Code Tenderloin know many of the unhoused in the Tenderloin neighborhood or were once homeless themselves and know who’s who.

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“Two weeks ago, I was homeless, sleeping on the concrete just like she was so a lot of them I do know,” Michael Hollins also from Code Tenderloin.

Del Seymour is out counting — himself once homeless for 18 years. He told the group how they should approach people on the street.

“No different than if you would approach someone if you were walking up the front stairs of their home. There is no such thing as encampments. Those are for Yosemite. These are dwellings,” insisted Seymour.

In San Francisco, the count runs from 8 p.m. to midnight because that’s when people are believed to be settled in for the night and less likely to be moving around.

People in cars and in city shelters were also counted.

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MORE: Are SF’s navigation centers a magnet for crime? Here’s how data refutes public perception

The purpose of this nationwide count is to determine if the number of homeless people is going up or down. The results will impact services and federal dollars.

But no one is expecting the numbers to be entirely accurate.

For example, as the group of volunteers went by a closed tent, they could not determine how many people were inside, so they were counted as one individual.

Jordan Hartman of the Department of Homelessness and Supportive said the point-in-time count is the closest they can get to a perfect count. Yes, in no way this is the closest we can get to a perfect count.

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As a result, some groups are undercounted.

Dr. Margot Kushel is with the UCSF Benioff Homelessness and Housing initiative.

MORE: SF claims homeless individuals decline shelter 60% of the time but some say that’s inaccurate

“Homeless families do everything they can to stay out of the public eye because they are really worried, for good reason, that their children will be taken from them,” said Dr. Kushel.

Young people are also undercounted because many are couch surfing, or staying with friends.

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“We know the numbers from last point-in-time count was a little over 1,000 youth experiencing homelessness and we know that number is much higher,” explained Karin Adams of the Homeless Youth Alliance.

That’s why volunteers in the Haight Ashbury neighborhood conducted their count in the mid-morning hours when young people are more likely to be hanging out on the streets.

Back in the Tenderloin, that evening, we counted between 6-21 unhoused people on each block, including Forrest Bine who had just claimed a spot on the sidewalk to set up his new tent.

“A lot of it has to do with addiction, the choices I made, how I live. I’ve learned a lot through being homeless and my journey is just as important as anybody else’s, I believe,” expressed Bine who has been homeless for 10 years.

In the spring, they will have the first set of number out but the full report is expected this summer. That’s when San Francisco will find out how many people are homeless.

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Flight of fancy: San Francisco moves to build private luxury airport terminal

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Flight of fancy: San Francisco moves to build private luxury airport terminal


Sick of the TSA lines? Tired of playing musical chairs at the gate? Rather sit as far from your fellow airplane passengers for as long as possible, in the comfort of your own private, luxury airport terminal?

Soon you may get your wish. And San Francisco international airport wants to be your genie – for a fee.

The airport is hoping to build a brand-new terminal exclusively for passengers who pay a premium, gaining access to a luxurious airport experience complete with private security lines and valet service from terminal to tarmac. It will service commercial flights, not business or corporate jets, and the terminal will have its own Transportation Security Administration (TSA) lines as well as Customs and Border Protection (CBP) lines for international travel.

SFO is seeking bidders to take on the development, construction and operation of the private terminal, which is planned for a 75,000-sq-ft site located across the runway from all current public terminals. The airport will accept proposals between late September and early October, and is looking to award a contract by early December with hopes of opening the terminal in late 2028.

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SFO’s interest in a luxury development comes from what airport spokesperson Doug Yakel called a “high level of demand” for “premium experiences” in travel, citing the popularity of existing credit card and premium lounges. A private terminal is essentially the next step up in exclusivity from those lounges – and the best chance at avoiding airport crowds entirely.

“Somebody that uses this product really wouldn’t see the other passengers they’re traveling with until they’re taken up the stairs of the jet bridge and onto the aircraft,” Yakel said.

Spending on “pay-to-play” luxury experiences at large is on the rise, according to a new report by Bain & Company and Altagamma. The airline industry has bought in, revamping lounge and onboard experiences with chef-designed menus and expanded premium seating for the highest-paying passengers.

Many see a market in San Francisco, where an AI-driven wealth boom is already agitating the local housing market, with homes sold at the fastest pace in five years and the single-family median home price clocking in at $2.2m.

Yakel said SFO felt now was the right time to enter the market of luxury travel.

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“We see the level of interest that’s being invested onboard aircraft, inside terminals, around airports, and clearly this is something that other airports are rolling out,” Yakel said.

The price to pay for a private airport experience will be decided by whoever wins the bid for operations, and will be offered on a membership or per-use basis. The traffic experienced at public terminals likely won’t change, Yakel said.

Private terminals have become popular worldwide. London Heathrow and Paris-Charles de Gaulle airports in Europe have long operated luxury terminals, and São Paulo/Guarulhos international airport recently opened the first private terminal in Latin America.

If SFO is successful, it would become the next major American airport to open a luxury terminal. Los Angeles, Dallas Fort Worth, Miami and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta international airports all offer a private terminal through PS (formerly known as the Private Suite), a company owned by security firm Gavin de Becker and Associates. Multiple representatives from PS and Gavin de Becker and Associates attended a June conference hosted by SFO about the private terminal, and PS has said it hopes to open a private terminal at every major US airport by 2030.

Access to existing PS private terminals can cost passengers $1,295 for a one-time experience, or up to $4,850 for a yearly membership. Heathrow’s private terminal costs thousands of pounds per person.

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What’s next for San Francisco Giants as MLB trade deadline approaches?

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What’s next for San Francisco Giants as MLB trade deadline approaches?


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The San Francisco Giants have a lot to consider at this juncture of the MLB season.

There were mid-level expectations for the Giants at the start of the season. On paper, it seemed like the Giants could battle for a wild card berth.

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The Giants won’t meet those expectations.

A week before the All-Star break, San Francisco has the third-worst record in baseball at 38-54. The Giants lost 10-0 to the Toronto Blue Jays on July 8, held hitless through eight innings.

It’s becoming increasingly obvious that this team won’t be competitive down the stretch, which has many of the Giants faithful singing a NxWorries tune, wondering what to do and where to go from here.

It’s evident that a shake-up is needed. It’s simply a matter of where they start and what they can realistically do to change things in the dugout. But one thing’s for sure: the Giants are sellers heading into the trade deadline.

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What should the Giants do now?

The Giants have to accept their fate. Entering the season, they looked like a team that could compete with anybody, but then the baseball games were played and that proved to not be the case. So now San Francisco has to look itself in the mirror and figure out what went wrong and how to make things right – well, better than they have been going, anyways.

Here are a few ideas:

Get aggressive in the trade market, sell high

It’s easier said than done, but the Giants have to get off the expensive contracts eating up their salary. Reason being, you won’t be able to get any talent, let alone invest in your prospects, if there isn’t enough dollars to go around by the time negotiations occur.

It’s also a matter of how aggressive they plan to be and who will be prioritized. Who is untouchable? ESPN’s Jeff Passan has Giants outfielder Jung Hoo Lee as a top-ranked trade candidate. He plays all throughout the outfield. Offensively, Lee ranks top 10 in MLB in batting average and strikeout rate.

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Lee, 27, makes $22.83 million this season and next, before going down to $21.33 million in both 2028 and 2029. Although not a star, the Giants can sell teams on Lee being a promising, solid all-around player.

Move on from veteran players

With a record like San Francisco’s, the best thing you can do for the fans is give them something to be hopeful for. That’s not aging veterans.

Examine the market for your guys who are age 30 and up, or are occupying a ton of salary space.

Rafael Devers turns 30 in October. His age isn’t so much a problem, but his contract … combined with the lack of expected production. Devers has had a down year so far, batting .244, registering 86 hits and 18 homers. He’s under contract through 2033 at a hefty price tag.

Others to consider moving on from are Willy Adames and Matt Chapman. They’re fan favorites, but based on age and dollars it all makes sense. Adames is under contract through 2031 at over $31 million per season. Chapman is locked up through 2030 at over $25 million per year.

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It’s hard to say goodbye, but in the best interest of the Giants, they have to find new homes for these guys. And honestly, it wouldn’t be surprising if Devers, Chapman and Adames wanted to find a new home if it meant playing for a contender and a chance at a World Series title.

Retain young talent, bring in fresh faces

There’s promise for the future in this squad with guys like Bryce Eldridge, Blade Tidwell and Drew Gilbert. It’s a start.

“The San Francisco Giants, who would love to trade two of their infielders at the trade deadline, need to clear space for power-hitter Bryce Eldridge. They realize it’s stunting his growth as an infielder to keep using him as a DH at the age of 21,” USA TODAY Sports’ Bob Nightengale wrote.

Eldridge has had plenty moments as a designated hitter but none bigger than his walk-off grand slam against the Washington Nationals on June 10.

Another intitiative San Francisco needs to focus on is hanging on to guys like Logan Webb, Heliot Ramos, Casey Schmitt and Landon Roupp. The best bet is to hang on to them to help usher in a new era. Years from now, when the team has a new look, you can decide whether to leverage them for additional assets.

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However, in the interim, hold on to those guys for dear life because teams will come knocking as MLB gets closer to the trade deadline.



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Bay Area Teen Waymo Riders Nabbed For Allegedly Shooting Projectiles From Robotaxi

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Bay Area Teen Waymo Riders Nabbed For Allegedly Shooting Projectiles From Robotaxi


San Mateo Police said they were contacted by Waymo about the two 15-year-old riders after they were seen drinking and shooting from the vehicle. The vehicle was stopped as police responded and officers were able to safely remove the teens.

An investigation determined the teens were shooting Orbeez water beads and drinking while being chauffeured around the city.





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