I’m baffled by our local homeless advocates. Their efforts would be understandable if they were trying to improve conditions at shelters or agitating for better health and counseling services.

But what they’re striving for now would simply preserve disorder in the streets. They’d make it as difficult and unpleasant as possible for the city to move homeless street encampments away from homes, businesses and parks. Seriously, who thinks that’s a good solution?

The proposal from outgoing Supervisor John Avalos and the Coalition on Homelessness is a template for chaos. Among other things, it would demand that the city give homeless campers 15 days notice before being “evicted.” And, if the city cannot provide a free, acceptable place for them to live, an extension must be granted so they can stay where they are.

Now let’s head out to Florida Street, a few blocks from the infamous Division Street tent city, and see how things are working in the real world. Kirsty Gumina, an account manager at McCalls Catering, has been asking for the city’s help since February, when a group of characters who look as if they walked off a “Mad Max” movie set pitched tents on the sidewalks and took over the neighborhood.

“One of them defecated on the car of one of our clients,” Gumina said. “I have personally gotten out of my car and seen them shooting up between their toes. We live in a war zone.”

Oh, and all of this is taking place within a few feet of a day care center.

The camp’s population varies from four to eight tents, not including the guy who lives in a cardboard box. Gumina says besides injecting drugs, they bicker and fight constantly, harass the women who work at the company, and generally intimidate anyone who walks through the Mission District neighborhood.

Ironically, Gumina says there used to be an older homeless guy who lived peacefully in the area. Employees gave him food and greeted him each day.

“These guys pushed him right out,” she said. “They’re all under 45, high and unpredictable.”

City’s response

Luckily, the city knows how to handle this. When Arnie Ertola, McCall’s managing partner, wrote emails to complain, the response was swift — and pointless.

“Thank you for reaching out on this important issue,” an email response began. “As you know, homelessness is a challenge across the city. Your safety, the safety of your staff and the safety of all San Franciscans is extremely important.”

The note went on to say that the Homeless Outreach Team would be notified and Public Works would be put on notice to request regular cleanings.

Furthermore, “If you witness illegal activity I encourage you to file a statement or report with the police.”

To which Ertola replied, after months of unabated havoc outside his door, “that sounds like more political rhetoric.”

“We have already attempted all of your suggestions with little or no response,” he said. “We just want to be able to safely use the sidewalk.”

Official ‘hot spot’

Now Gumina says the area has been officially declared “a hot spot,” and some sort of action is supposed to happen. For instance, the other day, Gumina says, “a guy with a clipboard” came out and discussed options with the campers like counseling or beginning to move toward supportive housing.

Their response? Naw, we’ll just stay where we are.

Gumina says the appearance of donated tents in the past few months has changed the narrative.

“The free-tent thing seems to be the tipping point,” says Gumina. “They’re all brand-new, from REI, and they all appeared at the same time. It’s like anybody can just pitch a tent anywhere they want and it is totally OK with the city? I am beyond frustrated.”

Avalos’ proposal to make it harder to move tent cities hasn’t been presented to the Board of Supervisors yet, and it might not pass if it is. But the mind-set is revealing. It’s a laundry list of demands and requirements to encourage and maintain street camping.

Besides the required 15-day notice before asking campers to move, the city would also be required to “partner with camp residents to create a relocation plan.”

Partner with camp residents? That’s the sort of happy talk that Ertola, who says he looked out the window the other day and saw one of the tent dwellers urinating on one of their trucks, finds infuriating. He says he turned negotiations with the city over to Gumina because, “I have a tendency to get frustrated and say things I shouldn’t say.”

Gumina is giving it her best shot, but she doesn’t see any progress.

“These guys are doing serious drugs 15 feet from a day care center,” she said. “No matter how many times we call, it seems like we are not being heard and nothing happens.”

And, after months of this, it leaves them wondering why there’s a proposal to keep the homeless on the street, but leaves them frustrated, angry and intimidated. Gumina says she’s just got one question:

“How did we get to be the bad guys in this?”

C.W. Nevius is a San Francisco Chronicle columnist. His columns appear Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Email: cwnevius@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @cwnevius