The Weekly Digest (August 20, 2023)

Written By Bill Jackson

Happy Sunday, Brionies!

Here’s what you need to know about San Francisco politics this week and beyond:

City Hall

  • The Board of Supervisors continues to be on legislative recess through September 4. 

Happenings around town

What we’re reading

  • If you’ve noticed that tent encampments of unhoused people in San Francisco have recently become more numerous and larger in size, often consisting of furniture and large collections of belongings that may or may not be refuse, you aren’t imagining things. Last December, U.S. Magistrate Judge Donna Ryu issued an injunction barring the City from clearing tent encampments, with very narrow exceptions. Judge Ryu’s order, part of a lawsuit brought by the Coalition on Homelessness, prevents city workers from enforcing a half dozen laws prohibiting sitting, lying, or sleeping on city streets, and we’ve written about it. This week, there will be a hearing on the injunction at the federal appeals court. Supervisors Matt Dorsey, Rafael Mandelman, and Joel Engardio will participate in a protest at the courthouse, and we have included details above. Let’s hope that the Ninth Circuit judges take heed of City Attorney David Chiu’s argument that the injunction has left San Francisco in an impossible situation, unable to address street camping and also unclear about whether it can enforce laws against those who refuse shelter. 

Quick hits



Bill Jackson
Previous

The Weekly Digest (August 27, 2023)
Next

The Weekly Digest (August 13, 2023)