Cost of a new affordable housing unit in SF ~$1.17M. [1] Number of homeless people $1.5B could house ~1,282. Number of homeless people in SF 7,754 people in 2022 [2].
So $1.5B could only solve ~16.5% of SF's housing problem or leave 84% unsolved. Which shows homelessness really is a "housing cost" problem in SF :)
[1] https://www.sfchronicle.com/sf/article/It-now-costs-more-tha... [2]https://sfgov.org/scorecards/safety-net/homeless-population
plus, solving 16% of the shortage of housing supply would be bigger than any other intervention at scale: it would probably force downward pricing in rent and sales overall.
https://sfstandard.com/public-health/homelessness/ending-hom...
...Ending unsheltered homelessness would require vast increases in housing, shelter and prevention services, according to the report from the city’s Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing and homelessness consultancy firm Focus Strategies.
That would cost the city another $1.45 billion over three years. And it would take over $410 million each year after that to keep the programs running. ...