S.f. Library Writes New Chapter On Solving Homeless Dilemma

[...] homeless advocates argued that despite library staff’s pleas to the contrary, the rules were really about clearing the site of homeless people since the first violation of a major offense came with a yearlong suspension. Library staff met with homeless advocates several times to hear their concerns and had a few of them train library staff on how to de-escalate problems and steer the homeless into social services. Jennifer Friedenbach, director of the Coalition on Homelessness, led one of the training sessions. City Librarian Luis Herrera praised the homeless advocates for “really giving us a different perspective on how to address some of our concerns.” Another controversial clause — banning “pervasive odors” — made the cut, but is only used in the most extreme circumstances, such as when somebody has soiled their pants and other patrons complain. [...] library staff hired three additional security guards and six assistants for its in-house social worker who report problems to her and also make regular bathroom checks. The larger Civic Center area, however, still has its problems, including a sizable homeless population in the plaza in front of City Hall. Herrera said library patrons have told him they think the building is cleaner and that customer service has improved. Friedenbach said far fewer homeless people are complaining about poor treatment by library staff. In downtown SF the degenerates gather like hyenas, spit, urinate, taunt you, sell drugs, get rowdy, they act like they own the center of the city ... [...] the 30-year-old South of Market resident wrote an opinion piece in The Chronicle last week in which he tried to make amends and said he’s spent the past year educating himself about the city’s pervasive homeless problem. Bevan Dufty, the mayor’s point man on homelessness, said he reached out to Gopman after the infamous Facebook post but heard nothing from him then — or since. “I thought it was terrible — really just disturbing — that somebody who has so much in their life can be so dismissive to describe people being less than human,” Dufty said. Dufty said Gopman should have started by apologizing to the Coalition on Homelessness, but staff there say they’ve heard nothing from him. Jennifer Friedenbach, the coalition’s director, said it sounds like he has “not invented here syndrome” — which usually applies to software companies that waste time by thinking they can only use solutions they’ve developed in-house rather than use outside solutions that already exist. [...] she did compliment him for adopting “a more positive approach than calling people nasty names.” Heather Knight is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer who covers City Hall politics.