Plan to End Family Homelessness in SF Released

On Tuesday June 2, 2015, St. Anthony’s was proud to host the San Francisco Coalition on Homelessness, Hamilton Family Center, Chinatown Community Development Center, District 6 Supervisor Jane Kim, and Bevan Dufty, Director of the Mayor’s office of HOPE, as the San Francisco Homeless Emergency Service Providers Association (HESPA) released their report on family homelessness in San Francisco, including a 5-year plan outlining investments the city can make to end family homelessness.  Homelessness among families in our city has reached a crisis point: approximately 3,222 children in San Francisco are homeless,  the wait list for emergency shelter for families is months long, and the chances that homeless families will be able to find housing in San Francisco at the end of their shelter stay are slim.

The 5-year plan, called “The Roadmap” outlines six strategies that, if implemented, will house or prevent homelessness for 2,300 families over 5 years, with a total cost to the city of $9 million over five years.

1. Increase Low-Income Operating Subsidy Program (LOSP) subsidies for homeless families.  These subsidies allow extremely low income people to afford rent in buildings with affordable units.  (These subsidies are typically used for newly constructed units.)
2. Place homeless households in turnover non-profit housing using a city-funded subsidy.  (These subsidies would be used in existing non-profit housing, when a unit turns over.)
3. Invest in “rapid rehousing” — short term subsidies for families to stay in their homes or to pay part of the rent on a privately-owned apartment.
4. Move homeless households in to vacant San Francisco Housing Authority (public housing) units.
5. Fund need-based subsidy pilot for families who require temporary financial help in order to avoid homelessness.  Current short-term subsidy programs help families who can demonstrate that they can increase their income in a short period of time.  This subsidy would be need-based rather than time limited, meaning that a family would qualify as long as their income remains below a certain threshold.
6. Prevent homelessness.  Fund eviction prevention services for families in danger of losing their homes.

Over the next few weeks, our city government is deciding on spending priorities for Fiscal Year 2015-16.  Now is the time to ask City leaders to begin to invest in the services needed to help end family homelessness in San Francisco.   The Board of Supervisors Budget and Finance Committee is holding a public hearing on the city budget on Friday June 19, and public comment will be taken starting at 10:00 am in room 250 of City Hall.  Public comment can also be given online at the Board of Supervisors Website.