District 6 covers neighborhoods<\/a> in the east of the city, including SoMa, Mission Bay and Rincon Hill.<\/p>\n The Board of Supervisors passed<\/a> a housing ordinance 7-4 in July, put forward by District 6 Supervisor Matt Dorsey, requiring<\/a> city funding for new permanent supportive housing units to go toward drug-free housing, except when doing so would conflict with the law or other funding requirements (among other exceptions). It would allow residents to be evicted for illicit drug use under certain circumstances, although a single instance of drug use could not automatically trigger eviction.<\/p>\n The proposal does not apply retroactively to existing units. San Francisco currently has roughly 8,500 permanent supportive housing units, nearly all operating under the state\u2019s \u201cHousing First\u201d model, which prohibits eviction for drug use alone.\u00a0<\/p>\n Dorsey\u2019s argument<\/a> is this: 26 percent of San Francisco overdose deaths between June 2024 and July 2025 occurred inside PSH units, a higher share than on the streets, in shelters or in hospitals. He has framed the ordinance not as a dismantling of the Housing First model, but as adding an alternative for residents who want to recover from addiction in a drug-free environment.\u00a0<\/p>\n Because state Housing First rules bar drug-use evictions in any project receiving state funding \u2014 covering most of the city\u2019s permanent supportive housing portfolio \u2014 Dorsey\u2019s ordinance goes only so far without a change in state law.<\/p>\n That\u2019s where Assemblymember Matt Haney has stepped in. In May, he introduced<\/a> AB1556<\/a>, a companion bill that would allow state funds to be used for drug-free recovery housing.\u00a0<\/p>\n Some housing advocates and medical professionals have opposed<\/a> Dorsey\u2019s measure, arguing that stable housing is the precondition for recovery, not a reward for it, and that eviction sends the most vulnerable people back to the street. Mission Housing director Sam Moss called it \u201cvirtue-signaling\u201d that \u201cmakes it harder to build housing\u201d and discourages lender investment.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0YIMBY Action, the pro-housing advocacy group, warned that it could have a \u201cchilling effect\u201d on development of new permanent supportive housing. San Francisco has produced less than 5 percent of its state-mandated very-low-income housing goal, it added.\u00a0<\/p>\n This week\u2019s question: Does your drug-free housing ordinance have any real teeth without a change in state law?<\/p>\n Mission Local color codes the answers to yes\/no questions. A blue background means the candidate answered yes, an orange background means no and a yellow background means that the candidate dodged the question.\u00a0<\/p>\n Matt Dorsey<\/p>\n Job: District 6 Supervisor<\/p>\n Age: 61<\/p>\n Residency: Renter, District 6 resident since 2008<\/p>\n Transportation:\u00a0Public transit, walking, biking<\/p>\n Education: Bachelor of Science in Speech, 1989, Emerson College<\/p>\n Languages: English<\/p>\n Yes \u2014 although changes to state law could give it more teeth, and enable us to make more progress sooner to offer drug-free Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) options to those exiting homelessness.<\/p>\n First, by itself, my ordinance will require new locally funded PSH sites to be drug-free, with the same provisions governing standard residential leases in California. [Ed. note: the ordinance exempts funding for new construction, as well as projects where drug-free operation would conflict with the law or other funding conditions.]\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Second, the legislation also requires a survey of PSH residents citywide \u2014 and establishes city policy to meet residents\u2019 demand for drug-free or drug-tolerant buildings moving forward.\u00a0<\/p>\n Third, I\u2019m optimistic that Assemblymember Haney\u2019s state legislation will open up more flexibility with California dollars. Fingers crossed!<\/p>\n Endorsed by: Mayor Daniel Lurie, District Attorney Brooke Jenkins, Sheriff Paul Miyamoto, Senator Scott Wiener \u2026 read more here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Answers may be lightly edited for formatting, spelling and grammar. If you have questions for the candidates, please let us know at sarah@missionlocal.com<\/a> \/\/ io@missionlocal.com<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n![\"Illustration](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Matt-Yes--640x640.png\")
<\/p>\n