San Francisco crews clear out small homeless camp in SoMa

SAN FRANCISCO - San Francisco Public Works crews began to clear out on Tuesday morning a small homeless encampment in the city’s South of Market neighborhood, part of an ongoing crackdown by the mayor.

The area in question included about nine tents housing a dozen people on Berwick Place near Harrison and 8th streets. Director of Public Works Director Mohammed Nuru told KTVU that it's simply unsanitary for people to be living on the streets.

"There's poop on the sidewalk," he said. "And people urinate here. There's trash and no services." 

He said that the homeless will be offered a chance to move to a shelter or a navigation center.

This removal of smaller homeless camps comes after the city’s large encampments -- with 10 or more tents -- have now been cleared out.  

Last month, Mayor Mark Farrell launched a crackdown on homeless encampments saying it's time for tent cities to go.