Almost half of those cited for drug offenses in San Francisco’s open-air drug market were from out of town, police data show in a new report.
The finding comes as the city has beefed up efforts to stop open-air drug markets in its Tenderloin and South of Market areas, which officials say are harming neighborhoods and driving up overdoses, especially of fentanyl.
Between March 2023 and early February, police data show 718 people were cited for drug use in the city with only 53 percent being residents. Of those cited, 20 percent were receiving state-funded cash benefits—up to $712 a month for low-income residents through California’s general assistance program. And of the 141 residents receiving the assistance, nearly 50 of them were from out of town but had falsely given a San Francisco address, the press release said.
According to city officials, measures are in place to prevent non-residents from receiving such benefits, but sometimes fraudulent documents are used to obtain them.
“This data shows us that we need to redouble our efforts to prevent this welfare fraud moving forward,” said Trent Rhorer, executive director of the San Francisco Human Services Agency, in the same press release.
County Supervisor Matt Dorsey said the data show the city is still a popular place for drug users and that the mayor’s efforts with Measure F to require drug testing for those receiving such aid would help crack down on the issue. As of late March 5, Measure F was winning with 63 percent support.
“These numbers further confirm that San Francisco is too often a destination for drug tourism, and why Mayor Breed’s efforts to dismantle open-air drug scenes and hold general assistance recipients accountable to seek drug treatment when it’s medically indicated are absolutely necessary,” he said in the press release.
In the past year, local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies have worked together to address rampant homelessness and drug use in the city, with over 2,000 arrests made in 2023 for drug sales and drug use, according to the press release. Last year’s arrests accounted for 260 pounds of fentanyl seized, according to officials, with 350 arrests made so far in 2024.
Additionally, officials said, there was a record number of felony narcotics cases prosecuted by the District Attorney’s Office in 2023, specifically 827 cases filed compared with the previous record of 731 cases in 2018, they said.
Actions from the state include Gov. Gavin Newsom’s deployment of additional California Highway Patrol officers and National Guard personnel to the city last year, forming a task force with local police and the San Francisco attorney’s office.
California lawmakers have been making efforts to crack down on the growing fentanyl crisis in the state, with multiple bills including mandating fentanyl overdose prevention at schools and making investments to stop trafficking and enhance laws against trafficking of the drug, approved by the governor last year.
New data released last month from the city of San Francisco revealed many of those cited for drug use by the city’s police department lived outside of San Francisco. It also showed that 33 percent of those cited who also receive cash benefits are not residents, committing welfare fraud, pushing city leaders to call for action.
