CAMPAIGN

The Homelessness Response System (HRS)

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We aim to make homelessness rare, brief, and one-time.

HRS core components

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Outreach

The San Francisco Homeless Outreach Team (SFHOT) engages our unhoused neighbors.

The team's outreach efforts include:

  • Assessing people’s needs and goals
  • Connecting people to services and resources

HSH also partners with other outreach and response teams across the city.

Learn more about SFHOT

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Homelessness Prevention

Prevention is a critical element to reducing the number of people that become unhoused in our community.

We work with workforce development, schools, affordable housing providers, and other systems to identify people at highest risk of homelessness. 

Our homelessness prevention strategies include financial help, home sharing, and eviction prevention.

Find homelessness prevention help

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Coordinated Entry

The “front door” to the homelessness response system.

Coordinated entry assesses, prioritizes, and matches people experiencing homelessness to services, resources, and evaluates individuals and families for housing options.

Our Coordinated Entry team connects people to services and resources at in-person locations called Access Points.

See list of Access Point locations

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Shelter and Crisis Interventions

Shelter and crisis intervention programs provide temporary places for people to stay while accessing other services and looking for housing.

Shelter: Most beds and units in the shelter system are available year-round. Seasonal and overflow beds and units are available during high-demand periods.

Crisis intervention: Includes overnight amenities like security, shared bathrooms, showers, and food services. Our main crisis intervention program is safe parking. 

Learn more about Shelter and Crisis Interventions

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Housing Problem Solving

Problem solving helps people find ways to solve their current housing crisis without needing ongoing shelter or a housing resource from the HRS.

Housing Problem Solving interventions include:

  • Problem solving conversations
  • Housing location assistance
  • Travel and relocation support outside San Francisco
  • Reunification, mediation, and conflict resolution
  • Financial help
  • Connections to employment
  • Referrals and links to a range of community services

Learn more about Housing problem solving

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Housing

Housing provides exits from homelessness through subsidies and supportive services.

Housing programs include:

  • Permanent supportive housing (PSH): Offers tenants long-term affordable housing with a range of supportive services.
  • Rapid re-housing: A time-limited subsidy and support services to help individuals and families become stable, secure income, and take over their rent over a period of a few years.
  • Housing ladder: For PSH residents who are ready for a more independent housing setting.

See Housing data and more info about the programs

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Homelessness Response System data and reports

Explore our data, research, and reports that guide HSH's work.

See our data and reports

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Preventing and ending homelessness with compassion, courage, and common sense.