BART continues to be a vital resource for the San Francisco Bay Area region by linking people to jobs, schools, entertainment, and opportunities. Because of this, it is important to be able to address quality of life issues that impact the BART system and ensure that our customers experience clean, safe, and reliable service.
Homelessness Action Plan
BART recognizes that there is a housing crisis in the Bay Area and that the lack of adequate housing and resources in the communities that BART operates through can result in the unhoused community utilizing BART to meet their shelter needs. In January 2023, BART adopted a Homeless Action Plan, which outlines BART’s strategy for addressing people experiencing homelessness in the BART system.
BART also created the Senior Manager of Social Services Partnerships position as part of the agency’s efforts to increase resources to help address homelessness within the system and connect people to resources. The Senior Manager of Social Services Partnerships focuses on designing, implementing, and overseeing programs to address homelessness and related issues within the BART system. The position serves as the top advisor for the general manager and the Board of Directors on matters related to homelessness and the health and social welfare of BART riders. This position also works closely with the BART Police Department and their Progressive Policing and Community Engagement Bureau to maintain strong partnerships with community resources to effectively connect individuals in need to community services that can assist them.
Welfare Checks
BART has police and unarmed staff ready to assist people in the BART system who are in need of support with housing, mental health, and substance use.
If you see someone on your train or in the station that may need assistance:
- Text 510-200-0992 or
- Use the BART Watch App to make a report or
- Call 510-464-7000 to make the report
BART’s Police Dispatch Center will take the report submitted through your phone and dispatch an officer or team member to check on the individual.
A few examples of when to submit a report can include:
- Someone is not moving and unresponsive to any questions (a phone call to BART Police at 510-464-7000 or 911 is warranted in these situations)
- People who are visibly intoxicated
- People experiencing a mental health crisis
- Adults who may have soiled themselves
Please keep in mind that someone sleeping on a train who appears to be homeless does not violate any laws and dispatch will need more clarifying information to deploy an officer or team member.
Elevator Attendant Program
The Elevator Attendant Program originally launched on April 30, 2018, and has been integral to keeping the elevators in San Francisco’s downtown stations (Embarcadero, Montgomery St., Powell St., and Civic Center) safe, clean, and in working order for BART and San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) patrons during operating hours. This program is supported by SFMTA and San Francisco County Transportation Authority (SFCTA).
Attendants are staffed via a contractor with BART and are stationed inside elevators. They greet customers, operate the elevator, collect numerical data on usage, contact BART System Services for maintenance needs, and deter inappropriate behavior in elevators. The elevators are an essential service to patrons who may be experiencing mobility challenges and would not be able to access transit if the elevators were not in operation.
Find the Elevator Status page here
Restroom Attendant Program
The Restroom Attendant Program originally launched in 2022 as a pilot, with the opening of newly remodeled underground restrooms at Powell and 19th Street. The program later expanded to four (4) additional stations: Embarcadero, Montgomery, Lake Merritt, and Downtown Berkeley. Attendants at these stations are staffed via a contractor. BART also staffs restroom attendants at El Cerrito del Norte station.
Attendants successfully prevent misuse of the restrooms and help to ensure restrooms continue to be operational, safe, and clean for customer use. The attendants are stationed outside of the restrooms, greet customers, ensure that restrooms are utilized appropriately and in a timely manner per the posted Restroom Guidelines, track progress and success by documenting overall use, and contact BART System Services for maintenance needs.
More info on Restrooms at BART
Encampments
Situations where people live on BART property, rights of way (ROW), or adjacent land, can result in fires and debris that can significantly damage the system’s infrastructure and result in disruption of train service. Additionally, there is a safety risk to the people residing in the encampments; BART property and ROW are not meant for human habitation.
BART works closely with cities and counties to address encampments situations that may impact the BART system. In situations where there is not an immediate risk to health and safety, we work with respective jurisdictions to offer shelter and housing services available to people residing in encampments before the area is cleared and cleaned. BART PD’s Crisis Intervention Specialists will engage with individuals in encampments to educate them and encourage them to accept available resources.
BART also partners closely with other agencies such as the Union Pacific Railroad and Caltrans for areas that are of mutual interest. These partnerships enable BART to work together with the communities we serve, help people in need, and keep our system clean, safe, and reliable.