San Francisco might be about to witness a housing nightmare that could make its already brutal rental market look like a walk in the park.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) just dropped a bombshell that could potentially throw thousands of residents into the precarious world of homelessness. In a move that screams “bureaucratic bullying,” HUD Secretary Scott Turner announced a crackdown on sanctuary cities, specifically targeting housing assistance for undocumented residents and mixed-status households.

A Brutal Housing Hit

Laura Chiera from Legal Assistance to the Elderly doesn’t mince words: “They’ll all be homeless, there’s no question”. With approximately 15,000 San Francisco residents potentially losing housing assistance, the city stands on the precipice of a humanitarian crisis.

The Sanctuary City Showdown

San Francisco, a proud sanctuary city since 1989, prohibits city staff from collaborating with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. But now, the federal government is playing hardball. A new memorandum between HUD and the Department of Homeland Security will monitor public housing programs, potentially identifying and deporting non-permanent residents.

Fighting Back

City Attorney David Chiu isn’t taking this lying down. He’s already filed a multi-jurisdictional lawsuit challenging these attacks on sanctuary jurisdictions, calling the federal move “illegal and authoritarian”. This isn’t his first rodeo - in 2018, he successfully sued to protect San Francisco’s sanctuary policies.

As HUD continues to chip away at housing programs, including an early end to Emergency Housing Vouchers and potential cuts to “housing first” initiatives, the city’s most vulnerable populations are left hanging in the balance. One thing’s certain: this is going to be a fight worth watching.