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The latest news and announcements from Mayor London N. Breed

Mayor Mark Farrell and Supervisor Jane Kim Introduce Legislation to create 50 Supportive Housing Units for Formerly Homeless Residents

New permanent supportive housing units will be at the Minna Lee Hotel

Mayor Mark Farrell and Supervisor Jane Kim today introduced legislation to create 50 permanent supportive housing units for formerly homeless residents at the vacant Minna Lee Hotel in the SoMa District.

"Supportive housing is the answer to reducing homelessness and is the most cost-effective and humane solution,” said Mayor Farrell. “These new supportive housing units will provide the foundation for a healthy and supportive life for these formerly homeless individuals. We are working every day to add more capacity to our homelessness system to address the crisis on our streets.”

At the Board of Supervisors meeting today, Mayor Farrell and Supervisor Kim put forth a legislative package that includes a 10-year lease for 50 permanent supportive housing units at the hotel, located at 149 Sixth Street. Residents are expected to move into the building this June, following rehabilitation work at the site. 

“I'm proud to represent a district that consistently steps up to provide solutions to get individuals off the street,” said Supervisor Kim. “With these new 50 units at the Minna Lee, we are making the best use of this site and helping 50 people with permanently affordable homes.”

Permanent supportive housing is a nationally-recognized best practice for helping to end homelessness. The model combines long-term affordability with onsite social services to ensure that residents can maintain their housing and improve their health. Minna Lee has recently been updated with new building systems and its ground floor has been modernized to host supportive services.

San Francisco currently has more than 7,400 permanent supportive housing units, the most per-capita of any city in the country. In addition to the Minna Lee, the City recently opened 324 new permanent supportive housing units at the Auburn, National, Winton and Crown hotels.

“The Minna Lee will offer safe, dignified homes to some of our most vulnerable residents,” said Jeff Kositsky, director of the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing.  “Through permanent supportive housing we see people not just get off the street, but permanently end their homelessness and start chasing their dreams.” 

The City also continues to expand its Navigation Centers, which create an entry point to the Homelessness Response System, primarily for people living in encampments who have not engaged in services through traditional shelters. The centers offer intensive case management and critical service connections to healthcare, entitlement benefits and drug treatment programs. Currently, San Francisco has five Navigation Centers, and is set to add three more.