In anticipation of the melee that was Super Bowl 50, a tent-city encampment sprouted up along Division Street, at the border of SoMa and Mission, after the city’s homeless population was forced off Market Street. It was later removed under orders of mayor Ed Lee.
But ever since its removal, the city’s chronic homeless problem hasn’t gone away; it shifted down the street behind the neighborhood’s Best Buy and down along Harrison and Folsom streets.
Chain-link fences were put up along Division as a deterrent.
To draw attention to both the homeless crisis in San Francisco, a local artist, who has requested anonymity, created this installation along Division. It went up on Monday.
Pieces of plastic were cut to fit into a fence, spelling out “Home Street Home.”
Curbed SF talked to the artist, who explained, “I don't pretend this is going to solve anything, but I wanted it to get people, like me, to do a double take—to build awareness and empathy.”
The artist told us that they used to do similar “Home Street Home” pieces stitched into cardboard and then placed around town.
“It started several years ago, when I had an office on 2nd and Folsom,” said the artist. “Everyday there was the same guy for years, until one day he wasn't there. It woke me up to the fact that homelessness is not only a problem, but most of us have become desensitized to it. ‘Home Street Home’ is a way to get us thinking again.”
You can see the installation along Division and Folsom. Catch it before the city takes it down.
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