FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Monday, October 1, 2018
Contact: Mayor’s Office of Communications, 415-554-6131

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MAYOR LONDON BREED ANNOUNCES FUNDING FROM FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO HOUSE 99 CHRONICALLY HOMELESS SAN FRANCISCANS
San Francisco Housing Authority awarded $1.78 million, the largest allocation of any region in the country

San Francisco, CA – Mayor London N. Breed today announced that San Francisco has been awarded $1.78 million for housing vouchers by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which will house 99 chronically homeless adults with disabilities.

The funding is part of $98.5 million that was awarded by HUD to 285 housing authorities nationwide to provide permanent affordable housing to nearly 12,000 additional non-elderly people with disabilities. San Francisco received the largest allocation of any of the authorities receiving funding.

“This funding is an incredible opportunity to bring 99 San Franciscans with disabilities off of our streets and into housing,” said Mayor Breed. “We are in the midst of a housing crisis that is having a dramatic effect on our low-income population and increasing homelessness in our City. Funding like this is critical to providing paths out of homelessness for people who need help.”

The housing assistance is provided through HUD’s Section 811 Mainstream Housing Choice Voucher program, which provides funding to housing agencies to assist non-elderly persons with disabilities who are transitioning out of institutional or other separated settings; homeless; or at risk of becoming homeless. 

”We are excited to partner with the Housing Authority to help end homelessness for some of the most vulnerable individuals experiencing homelessness in our community,” said Jeff Kositsky, Director of the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing. “We look forward to working closely with the Housing Authority to quickly deploy these vouchers and get them into the hands of the people who need them most.”

The San Francisco Housing Authority will administer the vouchers. The Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing will work to identify participants through the Coordinated Entry System and will be contracting with a non-profit to provide housing locator services to ensure that voucher holders are housed quickly. The Coordinated Entrance System has signed up 2,114 individuals since August, surpassing its initial goal of 2,000 sign-ups by the end of October.

“The San Francisco Housing Authority is grateful to have received the largest Mainstream Voucher award in the Nation from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development,” said Barbara Smith, Executive Director of the San Francisco Housing Authority. “As a result of developing a strong application in partnership with our City and nonprofit partners, we will collectively move 99 San Franciscans who are currently homeless, at-risk of homelessness, leaving institutional settings or at risk of institutionalization into their own stable homes.”

The application for this funding was submitted by the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing and the San Francisco Housing Authority.

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