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Crosscurrents

San Francisco's 'bag & tag' policy for homeless encampment sweeps

Madison Alvarado
Madison Alvarado
Madison Alvarado

This interview aired in the February 4, 2025 episode of Crosscurrents.

Click the play button above to listen

Last year, San Francisco increased homeless encampment sweeps. That followed the US Supreme Court's Grants Pass ruling, that gave local governments the right to enforce ordinances banning people from sleeping in public places, even when there isn’t a shelter bed available for them.

When these encampments get swept it can mean the loss of some or all of a person’s belongings. That can include medication, legal documents and other precious items.

San Francisco has an official "bag & tag" policy. That allows for some of the items to be stored and later reclaimed. And it requires that city workers get a signed acknowledgement from every person having their belongings swept /that they have been informed of the policy. But San Francisco Public Press reporter Madison Alvarado has found there's no evidence that the city is following its own policy.

Crosscurrents
Sunni M. Khalid is a veteran of more than 40 years in journalism, having worked in print, radio, television, and web journalism.