A San Francisco woman’s car was destroyed after a fire broke out from a homeless encampment, prompting her to blame city leaders and their policies for the incident. The fire occurred in the city’s “Nopa” neighborhood on Wednesday night.
The car owner, Linda Posage, expressed her frustration and anger at the city hall for failing to make a significant impact on the homelessness issue. Despite her voting for policies aimed at improving the lives of San Franciscans, she feels that not enough is being done for those forced to live on the streets.
Posage, who has lived in the neighborhood for the past two years, often sees people living in tents on the sidewalks where the car fire happened, on Central Ave. and Fell St. She maintains cordial relations with those living in the encampments, directing her blame at city leaders rather than the individual responsible for the fire.
The end of the COVID-era homeless hotel shelter program last December, according to Posage, is one example of the city leaders’ failure to help the unhoused. District 5 supervisor Dean Preston’s office has expressed concern over the incident and is working with the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing to address the encampments.
Although the loss of her car is a financial blow to Posage, she believes that the issue of fires from homeless encampments can be resolved through action. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation. This incident brings to the fore the urgency of addressing homelessness and ensuring adequate and safe housing for everyone.