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Tech entrepreneur's San Francisco homeless plan flounders amid acrimony Tech entrepreneur's San Francisco homeless plan flounders amid acrimony
(about 4 hours later)
Amid acrimony with public officials, a tech entrepreneur who went from lambasting the homeless of San Francisco to campaigning for them has all-but abandoned his vision of saving the city’s street dwellers with clusters of pod-like homes.Amid acrimony with public officials, a tech entrepreneur who went from lambasting the homeless of San Francisco to campaigning for them has all-but abandoned his vision of saving the city’s street dwellers with clusters of pod-like homes.
Related: 'No app for that': tech-rich San Francisco's intractable homelessnessRelated: 'No app for that': tech-rich San Francisco's intractable homelessness
Greg Gopman, a co-founder of the startup AngelHack, began his mission to solve homelessness in San Francisco in 2013, after an online rant about the down-and-out saw him, in his own words, “crucified” on social media.Greg Gopman, a co-founder of the startup AngelHack, began his mission to solve homelessness in San Francisco in 2013, after an online rant about the down-and-out saw him, in his own words, “crucified” on social media.
Now, he is thousands of miles from the Bay Area, contemplating his future.Now, he is thousands of miles from the Bay Area, contemplating his future.
“I’m doing a little Eat, Pray, Love trip in Asia right now,” he wrote to the Guardian in a series of emails. “After working on homelessness for the past year, I was disheartened seeing how little people actually care, politicians especially.”“I’m doing a little Eat, Pray, Love trip in Asia right now,” he wrote to the Guardian in a series of emails. “After working on homelessness for the past year, I was disheartened seeing how little people actually care, politicians especially.”
He added: “Maybe I’m better off as a consultant. I don’t know. I guess time will tell.”He added: “Maybe I’m better off as a consultant. I don’t know. I guess time will tell.”
Gopman spent the first half of 2015 expressing regret for dissing the destitute and attempting to tackle the problem. He was photographed with Mayor Ed Lee and hosted meetings on the issue.Gopman spent the first half of 2015 expressing regret for dissing the destitute and attempting to tackle the problem. He was photographed with Mayor Ed Lee and hosted meetings on the issue.
In June, he posted diagrams of what he called “community transition centers” – geodesic dome shelters he hoped to build for the homeless in downtown San Francisco and elsewhere. Now he is accusing the city’s leadership of working to squash his ideas.In June, he posted diagrams of what he called “community transition centers” – geodesic dome shelters he hoped to build for the homeless in downtown San Francisco and elsewhere. Now he is accusing the city’s leadership of working to squash his ideas.
“The people in charge of helping the homeless really don’t care,” he said.“The people in charge of helping the homeless really don’t care,” he said.
In answer, a senior aide to the mayor, who was not authorised to speak publicly, told the Guardian the domes “remind me of a dog house”.In answer, a senior aide to the mayor, who was not authorised to speak publicly, told the Guardian the domes “remind me of a dog house”.
Asked if Gopman’s project was progressing, the official said: “No. He threw something out there, but people working with him got sick of his ego. Last I heard he’s been vacationing for six months.”Asked if Gopman’s project was progressing, the official said: “No. He threw something out there, but people working with him got sick of his ego. Last I heard he’s been vacationing for six months.”
A request for official comment from the mayor’s office was not immediately answered.A request for official comment from the mayor’s office was not immediately answered.
Gopman’s startup, AngelHack, organizes hackathons, mass exploratory programming collaborations and contests. But he achieved notoriety in 2013, when he posted a Facebook rant which excoriated homeless people in downtown San Francisco, where they live on the streets just steps from dotcom offices and affluent tech workers.Gopman’s startup, AngelHack, organizes hackathons, mass exploratory programming collaborations and contests. But he achieved notoriety in 2013, when he posted a Facebook rant which excoriated homeless people in downtown San Francisco, where they live on the streets just steps from dotcom offices and affluent tech workers.
“I’ve traveled around the world,” he wrote, “and I gotta say there is nothing more grotesque than walking down market in San Francisco. Why the heart of our city has to be overrun by crazy, homeless, drug dealers, dropouts, and trash I have no clue. Each time I pass it my love affair with SF dies a little.”“I’ve traveled around the world,” he wrote, “and I gotta say there is nothing more grotesque than walking down market in San Francisco. Why the heart of our city has to be overrun by crazy, homeless, drug dealers, dropouts, and trash I have no clue. Each time I pass it my love affair with SF dies a little.”
The rant went viral and, although it was later deleted, Gopman was pilloried. He disappeared, then re-emerged in January 2015 to announce in a blogpost entitled “Solving Homelessness in San Francisco” that he had spent a year “learning about homelessness and what could be done to make things better”.The rant went viral and, although it was later deleted, Gopman was pilloried. He disappeared, then re-emerged in January 2015 to announce in a blogpost entitled “Solving Homelessness in San Francisco” that he had spent a year “learning about homelessness and what could be done to make things better”.
Gopman told the Guardian then: “People are struggling. I’ve got a plan to help.”
Related: In the shadow of Apple and Google, Silicon Valley’s forgotten poor find an unlikely heroRelated: In the shadow of Apple and Google, Silicon Valley’s forgotten poor find an unlikely hero
Gopman told the Guardian then: “People are struggling. I’ve got a plan to help.”
He launched an online thinktank called A Better San Francisco and as recently as June he announced “a new civic solution that can forever change how homelessness is perceived in America”, adding: “A Better SF is building community transition centres, the perfect solution for the majority of those experiencing homelessness.”He launched an online thinktank called A Better San Francisco and as recently as June he announced “a new civic solution that can forever change how homelessness is perceived in America”, adding: “A Better SF is building community transition centres, the perfect solution for the majority of those experiencing homelessness.”
Artists’ impressions and accompanying text detailed proposed mini-villages of geodesic domes providing individual bedrooms, and larger group domes for showers, computers, movies and cooking.Artists’ impressions and accompanying text detailed proposed mini-villages of geodesic domes providing individual bedrooms, and larger group domes for showers, computers, movies and cooking.
Individuals would be housed for six months and given help, the plans said. Gopman said online he was looking for land to pilot the project in downtown San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego or New York.Individuals would be housed for six months and given help, the plans said. Gopman said online he was looking for land to pilot the project in downtown San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego or New York.
The website noted, however, that: “Substance abusers and the mentally ill are not accepted at our centers.”The website noted, however, that: “Substance abusers and the mentally ill are not accepted at our centers.”
Now, the future of the plan is uncertain.Now, the future of the plan is uncertain.
Gopman said on Friday: “Transition Centers are still looking for a home. Funding is not a problem … the real bottleneck is finding land. Private landowners have been scared to give support.”Gopman said on Friday: “Transition Centers are still looking for a home. Funding is not a problem … the real bottleneck is finding land. Private landowners have been scared to give support.”
He said he still hoped to start a project somewhere in 2015. But he claimed that in San Francisco, his idea had been blocked. He said he had received signals behind the scenes that the mayor saw his idea as too controversial in an election year.He said he still hoped to start a project somewhere in 2015. But he claimed that in San Francisco, his idea had been blocked. He said he had received signals behind the scenes that the mayor saw his idea as too controversial in an election year.
Politicians praised him privately, he said, but said negative things in public or simply wanted to absorb his plans into their own.Politicians praised him privately, he said, but said negative things in public or simply wanted to absorb his plans into their own.
“As you can imagine, I was pretty disheartened by the whole experience,” he said. “It’s just a game of politics to them. It just made me feel like I was wasting my time on something I had no control over.”“As you can imagine, I was pretty disheartened by the whole experience,” he said. “It’s just a game of politics to them. It just made me feel like I was wasting my time on something I had no control over.”
I stopped believing homelessness in San Francisco would ever get better until politicians in San Francisco get better
Gopman added that San Francisco’s numerous nonprofits attempting to alleviate homelessness would not provide an alternative route for his efforts, because the city government made all the big decisions.Gopman added that San Francisco’s numerous nonprofits attempting to alleviate homelessness would not provide an alternative route for his efforts, because the city government made all the big decisions.
I stopped believing homelessness in San Francisco would ever get better until politicians in San Francisco get better
“I basically stopped believing that homelessness in San Francisco would ever get better until politicians in San Francisco get better,” he said. “So yes, now I am traveling.”“I basically stopped believing that homelessness in San Francisco would ever get better until politicians in San Francisco get better,” he said. “So yes, now I am traveling.”
Gopman is currently in Vietnam.Gopman is currently in Vietnam.
The senior mayoral aide said that what he called “legalized encampments” would risk keeping people in homelessness.The senior mayoral aide said that what he called “legalized encampments” would risk keeping people in homelessness.
“He’s not the only one to come up with this idea of shanty pods,” the official said. “It reminds me of a dog house. It’s just depressing, I hope that’s not the only answer we have as a society.”“He’s not the only one to come up with this idea of shanty pods,” the official said. “It reminds me of a dog house. It’s just depressing, I hope that’s not the only answer we have as a society.”
Gopman’s website lists as a fiscal sponsor the Palo Alto-based Downtown Streets Team, a nonprofit that helps homeless people in the Silicon Valley area and was created in 2005 by Eileen Richardson, the first chief executive of Napster.Gopman’s website lists as a fiscal sponsor the Palo Alto-based Downtown Streets Team, a nonprofit that helps homeless people in the Silicon Valley area and was created in 2005 by Eileen Richardson, the first chief executive of Napster.
Richardson said she had not spoken to Gopman for some months but knew he was having problems getting land for his project.Richardson said she had not spoken to Gopman for some months but knew he was having problems getting land for his project.
She said: “I’ve been very impressed with Greg’s time and attention to the [homeless] issue.”She said: “I’ve been very impressed with Greg’s time and attention to the [homeless] issue.”
Richardson said she had thought her own background as a tech innovator meant she could bring solutions to homelessness overnight.Richardson said she had thought her own background as a tech innovator meant she could bring solutions to homelessness overnight.
“But it’s been 10 years trying to figure out a model that would work,” she said. “It’s an extremely hard problem.”“But it’s been 10 years trying to figure out a model that would work,” she said. “It’s an extremely hard problem.”