Sixty tiny cabins bought by San Francisco for about $7 million to help tackle the city's homelessness crisis have sat empty for more than a year, despite an encampment of rough sleepers just a block away. The units, purchased under former mayor London Breed at a cost of over $100,000 each, were originally sited in the Mission before being displaced by an affordable housing development, then shunted between proposed locations amid public opposition, before ending up unused in a Bayview car park. The episode has become a flashpoint in criticism of the city's handling of homelessness, a problem that has long dogged San Francisco's reputation despite its considerable wealth.

City officials say opening a shelter requires far more than simply placing cabins on a site, citing the need for infrastructure, staffing, funding and community engagement, and argue a proposed 11th Street location was ultimately unsuitable. Current mayor Daniel Lurie, who defeated Breed in 2024, points to a 2026 survey showing 3,400 unsheltered people in the city as evidence of a 15-year low, though critics say the figures are not directly comparable to previous years. Supervisor Shamann Walton, who represents Bayview, has accused Lurie of ignoring community wishes and breaking promises, while nonprofit leaders say they have not been consulted on alternative uses for the vacant cabins.