Fund Services to Address San Francisco's Homelessness Crisis
Mayor London Breed
SF Office Number: (415) 554-6141
Call Script
Hi. My name is _________. I live in District __ .
I am calling to ask [the Mayor/Supervisor] to support the Homeless Emergency Service Providers Association (HESPA) budget proposal. Homeless people are dying on our streets today and we need to address this crisis immediately, by providing crucial mental health services, housing subsidies, homelessness prevention services, and emergency and employment services.
Can I count on [the Mayor/Supervisor] to fund the HESPA budget proposal in its entirety so that we can serve San Francisco’s most vulnerable families, youth, and adults?
Context
San Francisco is in the midst of a humanitarian crisis.
According to the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing, more than 20,000 people experience homelessness in our city each year.
The City’s Point in Time Count found more than 7,000 people experiencing homelessness at any one time.
However, we have only 2,500 temporary beds in the entire system, causing our shelter wait list for single adults to exceed 1,400 shelter seekers.
With only 800 -1,000 housing exits anticipated this year, it is clear that San Francisco must do more to address this crisis.
Our City only spends 2.7% of its entire budget on homelessness, making it a low priority in spending decisions historically. The Homeless Emergency Service Providers Association (HESPA), a group of 27 organizations advocating for a more robust safety net that can provide housing and emergency services for homeless San Franciscans, is asking city leadership to do more.
Background
We're asking San Francisco to:
Fund 338 new housing subsidies to families, the transgender community, single adults, seniors, and people with disabilities to move out of homelessness or retain permanent, rent-controlled housing.
Expand emergency services to thousands of individuals experiencing homelessness in severely underserved communities. This initiative would provide funding for housing navigation services for homeless families in shelters, drop-in centers, overnight bathrooms, and emergency housing subsidies for youth.
Level the playing field and ensure all San Franciscans have a Right to Counsel in eviction proceedings, expanding back rent, and other homelessness prevention strategies to serve 1,740 households who are at-risk of eviction from housing and shelter.
Fund critical mental health services and employment. Provide site-based mental health services to homeless families and fund innovative behavioral health innovations, such as pop-up mental health services and youth-specific psychiatric and clinical supports and employment services for over 1,500 households.
References
Keeping San Franciscans Housed and Housing San Franciscans: A Funding Proposal presented by the Homeless Emergency Service Providers Association, April 2019