Posted in“Civic” Podcast, Aging, Community, Homelessness

Why Are So Many Older Adults Unhoused, and What Can You Do About It?

Homelessness among older adults is on the rise in California. On Sept. 30, the Public Press moderated a discussion that examined examined why homelessness is increasing among older adults, and how San Franciscans be a part of the solution. The conversation touched on the criminalization of homelessness, the human costs of capitalism and strategies to combat this crisis.

Posted inAging, City Hall, Health, HIV & AIDS, LGBTQ+

Medicaid and Other Cuts Threaten Older LGBTQ+ Adults in SF

The Trump administration is attacking LGBTQ+ rights nationwide, and San Francisco has declared itself sanctuary city for transgender people. But even as the city anticipates an influx of newcomers, older trans adults already living here face discrimination and threats to their health as the federal government cuts funding for crucial programs and erases data about their demographic groups. 

Advocates expect LGBTQ+ seniors in particular to be negatively affected by the gutting of Medicaid, funding cuts at every level, and the erasure of key data focused on gender identity and sexual orientation. San Francisco’s population of older adults has been growing rapidly, which strains limited resources.

Posted inGovernment & Politics, Immigration, Politics, Social Justice

How to Prepare for Immigration Enforcement

With a rise in immigration raids and arrests outside courthouses schools, and at workplaces and other slice-of-life locations — coupled with a slew of Trump policies that whittle away or outright revoke people’s legal status and rights — immigrants across the country, regardless of their status, are increasingly at risk of deportation, detention or the sudden invalidation of legal documents, fueling widespread outrage, fear and uncertainty.

While experts encourage people to familiarize themselves with widely circulated resources like the “Know Your Rights” red card, which offers essential guidance for encounters with immigration authorities, they also emphasize that additional resources are available.
The Public Press has compiled advice from extensive interviews with four immigration attorneys and advocates, and from several workshops and press conferences discussing immigrant rights.

Posted inGovernment & Politics, Health, Homelessness

Homelessness Challenges Persist in SF Despite City Following Newsom Policy Lead

Gov. Newsom says repeatedly that the state is “flooding the zone” with mental health, substance use and homelessness resources. Amid a slew of press conferences and announcements last week on the release of new mental health funding and a push to make homeless encampments illegal statewide, Newsom repeatedly called on local governments to take charge. San Francisco is engaging in many of the initiatives Newsom cited, but still faces considerable challenges in addressing homelessness, behavioral health issues and substance abuse.

Posted inHealth, Homelessness, Labor

Arrested UC Workers Released, Charged with Disrupting Public Meetings with Labor Protest 

More than 20 labor leaders and University of California workers were arrested May 15 as they protested at a UC Board of Regents meeting at UC San Francisco’s Mission Bay campus. They were charged with willfully disturbing a meeting. 

Demonstrators, who were protesting working conditions and calling for the university to engage in fair contract negotiations, were released after a few hours, said Liz Perlman, executive director of American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees 3299 , which represents 35,000 employees across several UC campuses, medical centers, clinics and research labs. Perlman, who was arrested, said she was given a citation with a follow-up court date.

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