The uncounted

Unhoused people are reversing overdoses and saving lives on the street, but these efforts aren't showing up in official counts.

Remembering Mike Lee: organizer, activist, ‘Old Bum for Mayor’

Activist and former Berkeley mayoral candidate Mike Lee died at age 64 of complications related to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in mid August. Housing activists and many people experiencing homelessness across Berkeley, Oakland and San Francisco reported sadness at his loss and admiration for him in the wake of the news.

The Unmourned Death of Elvis Presley in San Francisco

Elvis had been homeless in this neighborhood for over 15 years. His broken, tired, ravaged body provided sad evidence of what that was like. But he never complained, and didn’t see himself as a victim. Despite the toll taken by living on the street for so long, Elvis was unfailingly friendly.

In Memory of All Who Died on Oakland’s Streets

Oakland’s Homeless Memorial was held to honor the lives of those who have suffered hunger, pain, loneliness, and premature deaths outside on the sidewalks. The service was moving, healing, and also inspiring in its ability to remind us of the importance of staying committed to the cause of justice.

A Bell Tolls for Countless Deaths on Nameless Streets

The bell tolled for 91 individuals who died on the streets last year in San Francisco, and it tolled for the uncounted thousands of homeless deaths around the nation. The National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty reported that homeless Americans die, on average, 30 years earlier than those with housing.