San Francisco Advances Jail Alternative Center
San Francisco Mayor London Breed signed legislation to advance the creation of the RESET Center. The facility is intended to serve as an alternative to incarceration for individuals struggling with public drug use. The initiative aims to address the ongoing issue of open drug consumption on the city's streets.
- The facility, located at 444 6th Street next to the Hall of Justice, is slated to open in the spring and will be operated by Connections Health Solutions. - It will have a capacity for 25 individuals at a time, who will be provided with reclining chairs for a maximum stay of 24 hours. - The Board of Supervisors approved a $14.5 million contract for a 26-month period to run the center. - While presented as an alternative to jail, individuals will be arrested for public intoxication before being brought to the facility. - The San Francisco Sheriff's Office will have oversight of the center, with the Department of Public Health providing support. - The initiative has not been without controversy; the city attorney's office sent a memo to the Board of Supervisors warning of "very high legal risk" associated with the facility. - Supervisors Jackie Fielder and Connie Chan voted against the operating contract, citing doubts about the program's effectiveness and its coercive nature. - This center is part of Mayor Lurie's broader "Breaking the Cycle" initiative, which also includes a 24/7 crisis stabilization center that opened at 822 Geary Street.
