S.F. has spent millions on a parking site for the homeless. It’s finally got reliable electricity

City officials counted 1,444 people sleeping in vehicles, trailers and mobile homes earlier this year — a 37% jump from two years prior, according to the city’s biannual survey of homelessness.

All told, the city and state have spent $7.1 million on the site’s capital costs. A spokesperson from the Homelessness Department estimated annual operating costs at an additional $3.5 million.

City Hall’s handling of the site led budget analysts to dub it “by far the most expensive homeless response intervention” in San Francisco. The nightly cost is more than many local hotels and far below the privately run Candlestick RV Park located next door, which charges just $145 per night.

The city’s parking spaces cost the city $278 per night. There are 150 spaces. That's $41K a day for a parking lot that 37 people use where they get water, power, a security guard, and a bay-side view.

Why the high cost? Could be because the city is paying the controversial Urban Alchemy that has strong links to the mayor, $2.8M a year to maintain a parking lot.