By Christin Evans, HANC Board

It’s my pleasure to report that the CAMP ‘safe sleeping village’ has been an overwhelming success in its first month of operation at 730 Stanyan.  With the exception of a few small obstacles, the campsite has provided approximately 40 campers a safe place to pitch a tent, three meals a day, toilets, hand washing stations and showers.

The CAMP faced some early issues responding to the weather which posed high temps, raging winds and even a late Spring rain.  But sandbags, well anchored tarps and canopies, donated by neighbors organized by the Cole Valley Haight Allies (CVHA) all helped make the parking lot a bit more comfortable. There have also been visits from nearby park wildlife including a raccoon family and a skunk (the CAMP is staffed 24 hours and these visitors are sometimes spotted in the wee hours of the night).

But the goal, to give homeless residents a safer place to shelter during the Covid health crisis, has been achieved. While the community still continues to advocate for permanent housing solutions, we have also encouraged the mayor and supervisors to continue to open more hotel rooms particularly for homeless seniors and those with medical vulnerability to the virus.

3000 Still Unhoused

With most shelters closed to new residents, the city still has an estimated 3000 unsheltered folks living on city streets, most sleeping ‘rough’ without a tent.  The CAMP is one of 3 sanctioned “Safe Sleeping Villages” (SSVs) the city has permitted — serving a total of about 150 homeless folks on any night.  What differentiates the Stanyan location is the service provider and the neighborhood support.  

Homeless Youth Alliance (HYA) headed by Executive Director Mary Howe, has had a prior relationship with many of the Stanyan CAMP residents through their street outreach work and regular needle exchange nights held next to the post office inside the Haight Ashbury Free Clinic space. That has allowed camp director Eliza Wheeler and the camp staff to work with residents on stabilizing and making progress on personal goals. 

One CAMPer started a nursing program this week. Another waited all day at the DMV to get a new ID.  And yet a third had filed paperwork with the Veterans Administration since he qualifies for their housing program.  There have been three successful “exits” from the camp so far.  One CAMPer reunited with a family member who drove to CAMP to pick him up..

CAMP is expected to be open for three to six months.