A year ago Berkeleyside, along with the San Francisco Chronicle and 80 other media organizations, took a full day to examine the issue of people experiencing homelessness as part of the SF Homeless Project.
We wrote an overview of Berkeley’s response to homelessness in the past 30 years, examined its new single-point entry system to deliver services, interviewed those sleeping underneath the Gilman overpass, provided statistics about those living on the streets, and more. The Northern California chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists recognized Berkeleyside’s work with an excellence award for our “comprehensive coverage of homelessness in Berkeley using data and effective storytelling to identify problems, seek answers and analyze proposed solutions.”
On Wednesday, again as part of the SF Homeless Project, Berkeleyside will devote another full day of coverage to the homeless situation in Berkeley. During the past year, much has happened. The city has a new mayor who has vowed to make solving homelessness a priority. Bond and tax measures were passed that should generate revenues for affordable housing. Yet the number of people experiencing homelessness has gone up and a new administration in Washington is threatening to cut funds that once went to the safety net. Berkeleyside will examine a number of agencies who help those down on their luck; the encampments that are so visible on our streets, food resources for those in and out of shelters, and more.
Our new stories, combined with our ongoing coverage and our 2016 deep-dive, should give readers a better, more nuanced understanding of the challenges and possibilities of one of the most vexing problems of our day. The package also contributes to our continuing commitment to provide a vital resource to the Berkeley community. Join us tomorrow to read the coverage.
