Whoa -- San Francisco pays $61,000 a year for one tent in a site to shelter the homeless
San Francisco is paying $16.1 million to shelter homeless people in 262 tents placed in empty lots around the city where they also get services and food — a steep price tag that amounts to more than $61,000 per tent per year.
The city has created six tent sites, called “safe sleeping villages,” since the beginning of the pandemic to get vulnerable people off crowded sidewalks and into places where they have access to bathrooms, three meals and around-the-clock security. The annual cost of one spot in one site is 2½ times the median rent for a one-bedroom apartment in San Francisco.
SNIP
The average per-night cost — $190 — is $82 less than what the city pays to shelter someone in its homeless hotel program. But unlike the hotel program, the tent sites are not eligible for federal reimbursement. According to city data, 314 people live in 247 tents. Fifteen spots are open.
The tent sites are not eligible for federal reimbursement because they are considered a group shelter, Abigail Stewart-Kahn, the interim director of the homeless department, said at a budget committee hearing Wednesday.
LINK (probably paywall): https://www.sfchronicle.com/local/article/S-F-pays-61-000-a-year-for-one-tent-to-house-16001074.php
According the article, the interim director of the homeless department noted that the city had to scramble to create other options for the homeless as indoor shelters were closing early in the pandemic and that officials did not have time to do a more thorough contract bidding process, which may have lowered operating costs. The sites require water and electrical hookups and around-the-clock security.
But still ... wow!
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in this country then that puts this expense into the perspective that tells me we can
afford this money that is well spent. "Wow" indeed. 
