Citywide Good Neighbor Policy: Public Review and Comment Period

Thank you to everyone who took the time to review the draft Citywide Good Neighbor Policy and provide feedback. The City appreciates the thoughtful input from providers, community-based organizations, neighbors, businesses, residents, clients, City partners, and other stakeholders.

We received a high volume of feedback on the draft policy, including comments related to implementation, feasibility, documentation requirements, training needs, staff safety, coordination with City response systems, and the importance of maintaining strong relationships with surrounding communities.

City staff are currently reviewing this feedback and integrating changes as appropriate. We are also developing an app to support documentation and reporting requirements, with the goal of making implementation as clear and streamlined as possible while minimizing the administrative burden on provider staff.

Because of the volume of feedback and the additional work underway to support implementation, this process is taking longer than originally expected. As a result, we are slightly pushing back implementation of the new policy.

Our current anticipated timeline:

• By July 1: Share the finalized Citywide Good Neighbor Policy with this community
• July - August: Test the documentation app with providers and City staff
• August/ September: Conduct trainings for contracted providers and City staff
• September/ October: Launch the policy and app, following training and testing

We will share a more refined timeline as this work progresses.

We also want to be clear that no provider or contracted partner will be held accountable for implementation of the new policy until the City has had time to train internal staff and contracted partners, provide implementation guidance, and ensure the appropriate tools and supports are in place.

The goal of this policy remains to promote safe, clean, and welcoming conditions around City-funded housing, health, shelter, and social service sites; support timely and transparent responses to community concerns; and create a consistent framework across departments. We are committed to implementing this policy in a way that is clear, fair, and workable for providers, staff, clients, residents, neighbors, and the broader community.

Thank you again for your partnership and for the important work you do every day. We look forward to continuing to work with you as we finalize and implement the Citywide Good Neighbor Policy.

The Good Neighbor Policy establishes baseline expectations for City-funded housing, health, shelter, transitional housing, and social service sites. The updated policy is intended to promote safe, clean, and welcoming conditions around covered sites; clarify provider and operator responsibilities; ensure timely responses to community concerns; and create one consistent monitoring and compliance framework across departments.

The draft policy applies to covered programs funded by the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing (HSH), the Department of Public Health (DPH), and supportive housing sites funded by the Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development (MOHCD), including:

• Shelters
• Transitional housing programs
• Access points
• Drop-in centers
• Permanent supportive housing sites
• DPH client-serving programs

Key proposed updates:

Under the draft policy:

• Providers and operators would be expected to maintain public contact information for Good Neighbor concerns, acknowledge concerns within 24 hours or by the next business day, make reasonable efforts to resolve routine concerns within 72 hours, and document concerns and responses.
• Covered sites would also be expected to conduct and document at least three perimeter checks per day, address litter and debris where legally and operationally permitted, keep entrances and sidewalks reasonably clear, and escalate issues that require City response.
• The policy also clarifies expectations for safely and appropriately discouraging disruptive behavior near covered sites. Providers are not expected to resolve broader citywide street conditions on their own, but they are expected to report, coordinate, and document issues that affect the site or surrounding area.
• The draft policy includes a progressive corrective action process for noncompliance. The goal is compliance and support, not punishment. The process begins with notice, correction, and technical assistance, and may escalate when issues are repeated, serious, or unresolved.

• May 18–29, 2026: Public comment period
• By July 1: Share the finalized Citywide Good Neighbor Policy with this community
• July- August: Conduct trainings for contracted providers and City staff
• July - August: Test the documentation app with providers and City staff
• September: Launch the policy and app, following training and testing

The public comment period is open from May 18 through May 29, 2026.

Providers, operators, neighbors, businesses, community organizations, residents, clients, and other stakeholders are encouraged to review the draft policy and submit written comments.

The City is especially interested in feedback on:

• Implementation feasibility
• Clarity of expectations
• Documentation requirements
• Coordination with City response systems
• Operational support needs

Review the draft policy before submitting comments:

Please download and review the draft policy before completing the public comment survey.

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