San Francisco appears to pass measure for welfare recipients to be drug-tested

San Francisco voters appeared to have approved a ballot measure that would compel welfare recipients who use illegal drugs to undergo treatment or be denied cash assistance.

The measure, Proposition F, would require single adults without dependents who receive local welfare benefits to be screened for illegal drug use. If they are found to be using drugs, an addiction specialist and the recipient would agree on treatment options that include residential care, a 12-step program, individual counseling and replacement medication.

The measure is one of two public safety proposals put before voters by the San Francisco mayor, London Breed, as the city grapples with the impact of a homelessness and addiction emergency. Breed, who’s up re-election in November, faces three serious opponents who say her administration has failed to deal with drug crimes, vandalism and theft.

The second measure would increase police powers, granting officers greater leeway to pursue suspects in vehicles, authorize police use of drones and surveillance cameras, reduce paperwork requirements, including in use-of-force cases, and reduce the powers of the citizen police oversight commission. That measure, too, looked likely to pass.

Supporters of the two propositions on Tuesday’s ballot have far outspent opponents. They include tech-backed civic advocacy groups and CEOs like Chris Larsen of the cryptocurrency firm Ripple and Jeremy Stoppelman of Yelp.

Opponents accuse tech billionaires of trying to buy the election and say Breed is simply trying to shore up votes for November. The proposals will not make the public safer, they argue.

San Francisco resident Bernice Casey voted against both measures.

“People who are receiving aid should not be drug tested, and I think the police need more accountability, not less,” said Casey, a city government worker.

Charley Goss, who voted yes to both, said police need more tools and voters deserve a new approach to crime and drug use.

“There’s a lot of drug abuse on our streets and it manifests itself on lots of issues from public safety to quality of life,” said Goss, a who works for a landlords’ association.

Supporters of Proposition F include recovery advocates, who say it is far too easy for people to get and use illegal drugs in San Francisco and there are not enough options to help them become sober.

The measure does not include a sobriety requirement, only that a person make a good-faith effort to participate in treatment if they want to receive cash assistance, which maxes out at just over $700 a month.

Sara Shortt, a spokesperson for the No on F campaign, counters that the measure punishes people who need help and could result in them losing housing.

“People will not be comfortable going to request services when they know they will be asked intrusive questions and then mandated to participate in a program,” she said.