Inside tent city: homeless in San Francisco (2)

Jul. 19, 2016, Civil Center Plaza, San Francisco (Photo by Xue Yujie)

Jacob (Left), who prefers people to call him “Stack”, is enjoying the sunshine with his friend. After being a construction worker for 25 years, “Stack” moved from New York City to San Francisco 15 years ago because of “the weather”. “I tend to stay away from the shelters,” he said, “It’s like prisons. There’re bedbugs and…I heard that two guys were murdered in a shelter here. People steal your stuff and fight. It’s safer to sleep on the streets. There’re more eyes here.” 

Jul. 19, 2016, Civil Center Plaza, San Francisco (Photo by Xue Yujie)

At 2 p.m., the temperature raises up to 20 °C. People gather under the Simon Bolivar Statue to enjoy the sunniest hour of the day.