The San Francisco Housing Authority is offering people $5,000 Airbnb gift cards to leave public housing and squat in private homes instead.
The San Francisco Housing Authority wants to evict dozens of people squatting in public housing planned for demolition. But it’s almost impossible to do that in San Francisco, and squatters get free legal representation to drag this through the courts. So the Housing Authority is offering people $5,000 Airbnb gift cards to leave. Squatters complain that the amounts aren’t big enough, and they want more.
Redevelopment has already been in process for nine years. There are about 40 groups of squatters, some of whom say they’ve been paying rent (off the books) to a city employee. Residents can’t be evicted if:
- They’ve lived in the unit for over a year, or
- They paid rent to “either the landlord or the landlord’s agent”
If they lived without paying rent they can stay and keep doing that! If a city employee was running a scam, and gets considered an ‘agent’ of the city, they get to keep doing that (but presumably wouldn’t have to pay a city employee who may have been pocketing the money).
According to a ‘housing rights’ advocate, the city needs to offer even bigger incentives:
I would expect there to be a more wholesale strategy meant to mutually revolve the situation. So folks losing their housing come to a soft landing while you’re able to move forward with the work of improving the housing stock for the future Potrero residents…[The housing authority] should understand that they have to bring something to the table more meaningful than a $5,000 Airbnb gift card.
Let’s leave aside the absurdity and outrage for a moment, and make two points.
- This just shifts who bears the cost of the problem. People with a demonstrated propensity for squatting are just going to squat somewhere else – in private Airbnbs instead of public housing. I’m not sure that is.. better? San Francisco will pay $5,000 per squatter to make it someone else’s problem.
- Incentivizes squatting. They’re is offering a $5,000 reward for squatting. Do you think that’s going to mean more or less squatting?
Meanwhile, I’ve long been a critic of Airbnb ‘cleaning fees’ where guests are still expected to do all of the chores themselves. Maybe in San Francisco those fees should be higher?
OMG!
Just use eminent domain and be done with it. This will condemn the property and thereby terminate all leases immediately.
Aren’t we on like year 18 of Newsom’s 10 year plan to end homelessness in San Francisco?
Seems to me that a sane, alert Airbnb property owner would look at the source of the gift card and think twice before renting. The risk of long-term loss would surely not be worth any short-term gain.
Welcome to the great state of Gavin Newsom.
And vests don’t have sleeves.
What your click-bait article fails to mention is that the “squatters” are being moved because the housing is in the process of a major rebuilding project to accommodate low-income residents. But that doesn’t pander enough to the simpleton MAGA base you so desperately seek.
I swear this blog is turning into nothing more than click bait
The people of SFO have voted for this. Elections have consequences.
The voters of SFO have voted for this.
How dare you bash a thoughtful and progressive idea. Im sure the “view from the RIGHT wing” blog will advocate that these poor people, many who are minorities and POC suffer from addiction, mental health disorders and institutionalized racism, should be rounded up and eliminated. That would really make your orange god leader happy. if a house is empty then it should be given to a person who needs a house. Not owned by some tech bro to profit from his ill gotten gains. Free Palestinian
I realize that this move is made with good intentions. That said, it’s stunningly stupid. In fact, I’m trying to figure exactly who would think this is a good idea. Forgetting for just a moment that this money would be better spent on actually trying to create and maintain a shelter the drawbacks are painfully obvious and stunning. The only good thing is that this will hurt Airbnb’s
Let me add a stupid and irrelevant comment:
“What your click-bait article fails to mention is that the ‘squatters’ are being moved because the housing is in the process of a major rebuilding project to accommodate low-income residents. But that doesn’t pander enough to the simpleton MAGA base you so desperately seek.”
I went to San Francisco about 3 years ago. OMG! It was AWFUL!!! I was staying in a hotel just off Market St. The door was locked in the afternoon, and they told me to be careful, there were lots of crazy people around. (No kidding!). There was 1 street off Union Square that was completely blocked with tents & street people walking around. Why do citizens put up with this?! Just sad.
Sure, offer ’em $5K air bnb vouchers. That will set off a hilarious chain of events where absolutely no one benefits, fingers will point and tears will be shed. I know SF.
Grew up near SF, lived in SF for several years.
As a resident of San Francisco I’ll say that this is a real look at failed government. !00% affordable housing that people live in – forever. The “do gooders” fight any kind of mixed income housing development that would be well built and well maintained.
As a result of failed progressive ideas you have….San Francisco.
The good news is that people are starting to demand change. It will happen slowly and our freak show of a city will be ugly for a while more.
View from the wing, that would be the Right Wing?
What a great idea. Why work when there are enough Democrats (that IS the dominant party in SF, right?) who don’t mind ponying up money and taxes to help those who want free stuff. I might even quit my job and move there. What great feeling to know that I don’t have to lift a finger because of all the love and peace in California creates a benevolent financial windfall for me. Isn’t this a great country or what!!!’
That’s liberalism in a nutshell. Reward bad behavior, punish good behavior. Self righteously claim you’re helping people, when really you’re encouraging self destructive behavior and dependency, while enriching yourself and your buddies.
I wouldn’t expect anything less from San Francisco. They deserve all this and more…… Keep voting for the same folks!
Oh, a ‘blue cities bad’ shitpost. Nice. Do ‘dogs on planes,’ next!
Does the Murdoch Media Empire now own your View From The Wing? You’re vibe is NY Post & Fox “News” rolled into nuance & relevant context free tabloid trash!