SF's SoMa neighborhood wants city to do more than sweep encampments

The city of San Francisco posted notices it would sweep homeless encampments in the South of Market neighborhood beginning Tuesday night, but most of the encampments had largely cleared out before then.

Neighborhood groups say it’s only a matter of time before they return if the city doesn’t find a longer term solution soon.

Cat Montes leads a team at the nonprofit City Team SF, on the corner of Sixth and Natoma streets. They help feed the unhoused and low-income residents in the area. A walk-through with Montes on Tuesday showed open sidewalks and no impeding trash or tents. She said just the day before, city workers were seen scrubbing and powerwashing empty sidewalks after notices of an encampment sweep were posted.

Montes said the people cleared out before the sweeps began.

But cam