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San Francisco's Homeless Voice Complaints About City's Shelter System

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) - San Francisco's homeless and their advocates packed the Board of Supervisors chambers on Thursday to complain about a shortage of shelter beds in the city.

Specifically, they claim the shelter system is, in essence, broken - as evidenced by the long waits and a lack of beds, among other problems.

No formal action came of the hearing, but for the dozens of people who spoke - almost all of them homeless - it was a chance to vent about things like having to travel from shelter to shelter in the hopes that a bed might be available on any given night.

"Some people can't walk. Some people, they're hungry, they're tired, they're depleted and they're waiting. And some of them don't get a bed, and it's so sad, you should see their faces," lamented one woman who addressed the supervisors.

There were also complaints about shelter conditions and staff.

"We are homeless and they want to treat you like animals. That's the one thing that really needs to stop," one man declared.

KCBS' Barbara Taylor Reports:

(Copyright 2012 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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