SF Moves Homeless Out of Hotels & Into Permanent Housing
San Francisco initiates first phase of its plan to eventually move 2,300 people out of hotels and into stable housing solutions, ensuring that people exit into stability and not the street.
San Francisco’s Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing (HSH) and non-profit partner agencies have begun a concerted effort to identify stable longer-term housing solutions for individuals currently staying in hotels as part of San Francisco’s COVID-19 response. Care Coordinators have started the first phase of engagement with households in an initial set of hotels, and the City and service provider staff have begun executing transitions for households, with several guests receiving keys to their new housing this past week.
In March, a shelter-in-place order was issued by the San Francisco Department of Public Health (SFDPH) due to the community spread of COVID-19. The City of San Francisco activated the first Shelter-in-Place (SIP) hotel in April, providing a safe place for individuals who were at the highest risk for severe disease. Over the intervening 6 months, the City expanded the emergency SIP program to include 29 SIP hotel sites. Thanks to the hard work of City Departments and non-profit partners, San Francisco opened and filled nearly 20% of the hotel rooms under the state’s Project Roomkey, despite San Francisco only having 5% of the state’s homeless population.
Over the coming months, as part of the SIP Rehousing Plan, the City and HSH are planning to offer rehousing options to over 2,300 guests sheltering in place at SIP hotels. Phase One of this Plan, which is in process, will focus on offering rehousing to more than 500 guests at 7 SIP hotels over the coming weeks. The Fiscal Year 2020-21 and 2021-22 budget provides funding, reliant on Proposition C and other state and General Fund sources, to allow for a gradual wind down of the hotel program, with people being moved out in phases, with the remaining guests being rehoused by the end of June.
As part of the SIP Rehousing Plan, Care Coordinators from the HSH-funded service providers and HSH staff are meeting with SIP guests, conducting assessments, and matching them to more sustainable housing resources.
Read the full press release.
Related Stories
