Healthy streets data and information

Our vision

Our vision is a vibrant and welcoming city where we come together to ensure that no San Franciscan is left to sleep on the streets, and our streets are safe for everyone. A city where residents recognize unsheltered homelessness as a symptom of unaffordable housing, income inequality, institutional racism, untreated addiction and mental illness, and decades of federal disinvestment. A city where compassion for unsheltered individuals does not mean an acceptance of harmful behavior on our streets.  

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Our mission

Ending unsheltered homelessness and making our neighborhoods clean and safe remains the highest priority of the City and requires an “all-hands-on-deck” approach.

Through innovative and collaborative strategies, we will lead with services first to get unsheltered San Francisco residents housing solutions and the social services they need to achieve long-term stability.  

For residents with particularly complex needs, we will use all available resources to get them the appropriate assistance and on the pathway to recovery. For people exhibiting harmful behavior or continually refusing assistance, we will use every tool we have to support their welfare, ensure the safety of our neighborhoods, and get them into care. 

Data and information

Street Response Dashboard

This dashboard helps us understand:

  • Estimated Population - Everyone counted during the Point in Time Count (PIT)
  • Information about Encampments
  • Operations to address encampments

Data notes and sources

Data notes and sources

Data from 2019 PIT Count for City and County of San Francisco; Data updated every year with new PIT data. Counts of tents/structures and vehicles were previously performed every other month. Beginning in FY 2022, the data will be updated on a quarterly basis. Encampments are locations with either a tent or a vehicle. HSOC engages with encampments on a daily basis. Data about HSOC's Encampment Engagements is updated quarterly.

Read below for more detail about everyone counted, encampments, and operations to address encampments.

Estimated Population—Everyone Counted During the PIT

The Point in Time Count (PIT) takes place every two years. It counts everyone experiencing homelessness in San Francisco.  People who are unsheltered are in a place not meant for humans to sleep.  People who are sheltered are in temporary housing while they look for permanent housing.   

Data notes and sources

Data notes and sources

Data from 2015, 2017, and 2019 Point In Time (PIT) Counts for City and County of San Francisco. Data from 2019 PIT Count by District; excludes Golden Gate Park and those in confidential/scattered sites throughout San Francisco.

Information about Encampments

San Francisco does a tent, structure, and vehicle count every three months.

People often use tents or other structures to sleep outside.  Structures are made of a variety of objects to create space for people to sleep. People also sleep in vehicles. Vehicles can be anything from a car to an RV Camper.

Encampments are places with one or more tents, vehicles, or structures. Large Encampments have 6+ tents, vehicles, or structures in one place.

Data notes and sources

Data notes and sources

Counts of tents/structures and vehicles were previously performed every other month. Beginning in FY 2022, the data will be updated on a quarterly basis. Encampments are locations with either a tent or a vehicle. Large Encampments have either 6 or more tents/structures or 6 or more vehicles.

Operations to Address Encampments

Encampment operations to respond to encampments and help the people in them. Service teams work with people ahead of time. On the day of the operation, a team comes to the encampment. People are offered services, treatment, and shelter. People remove tents and the space is cleaned.

During an operation, each time the team encounters someone, it is counted as an engagement.  Some people have many engagements with the team, while others have only one.

During an operation, each time the team encounters someone, they are offered shelter, safe sleeping, and other services. Many take the offer for help. When they do, they get a referral.  Some people in encampments already have housing or shelter. If they do, they get a referral to help return to their housing or shelter.

Data notes and sources

Data notes and sources

HSOC engages with encampments on a daily basis.  Data about HSOC's engagements is updated quarterly.

Additional Reports

Visit the Homelessness Recovery Plan data page for the latest information on: 

  • Goals for placements, expanding housing, expanding the shelter system, and rehousing SIP hotel guests
  • Progress on our housing goals, including developing new housing options and placing households into existing housing options
  • Permanent supportive housing
  • Current and future housing inventory

Visit the Street Crisis Response Team webpage for monthly updates and progress reports.