Coronavirus: San Francisco's Palace of Fine Arts may be used as temporary homeless shelter during COVID-19 lockdown

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Monday, April 6, 2020
SF Palace of Fine Arts may be used as temporary homeless shelter during COVID-19 lockdown
San Francisco's Palace of Fine Arts may be used as a temporarily shelter for the homeless during the COVID-19 pandemic, as early as this week.

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- San Francisco's Palace of Fine Arts may be used as a temporary homeless shelter, an idea some Marina District residents may oppose.

Supervisor Catherine Stefani sent her constituents a letter detailing the city's plan.

It calls for housing 162 people inside a vacant exhibit hall at the landmark.

RELATED: Coronavirus: San Francisco's battle to house the homeless continues amid pandemic

Recreation and Park Department head Phil Ginsberg says it's one of many facilities, that's taking on a new role during the pandemic.

"All of our facilities have been made available to help us to respond to this emergency, not just the palace. But all of our recreation centers, our emergency childcare operations. We've got food distribution points," Ginsberg said.

One Marina resident says he's urging his neighbors to join him in taking legal action against the city's plan.

RELATED: Coronavirus: Hotels for homeless quarantine, nurse hiring blitz, police enforcing shelter-in-place in San Francisco

Stefani says the first people to come to the Palace of Fine Arts will start as soon as the end of the week.

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