‘House keys not handcuffs’: Advocates rally to house homeless people in SF vacant units

Holding signs that read “house keys not handcuffs” and “sleeping is not a crime,” protesters have gathered in front of San Francisco’s Hotel Whitcomb to denounce recent measures they said would criminalize people facing homelessness.

Instead of arresting those sleeping outdoors, advocates called for city leaders to house homeless people in vacant spaces, such as Hotel Whitcomb. The hotel has remained closed to the public since it was utilized by the city to house homeless individuals in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.