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Giving Tuesday: San Francisco’s Critical Social Services Safety Net

An image featuring a diverse group of people smiling together outdoors, overlaid with the Giving Tuesday logo and the date 'December 3, 2024

by Shireen McSpadden, executive director, San Francisco Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing (HSH) and  Debbi Lerman, director, San Francisco Human Services Network (HSN)

On this Giving Tuesday, it’s timely to recognize that our nonprofit organizations are the backbone of San Francisco’s social services safety net, playing a crucial role in addressing the city’s most pressing challenges.  

In a city struggling with inequities, homelessness and a mental health crisis, nonprofits provide essential services every day that the public sector alone cannot adequately cover. They are often on the frontlines, delivering food, shelter, healthcare and mental health support to those in need. Their commitment to accountability and compliance is fundamental to their effectiveness and trustworthiness. 

The Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing (HSH) is a city department with a mission to make homelessness rare, brief and one-time. The San Francisco Human Services Network (HSN) is a public policy association of over 80 community-based nonprofit agencies dedicated to addressing issues critical to the health and human services sector of San Francisco. 

Both HSH and HSN concur that nonprofit organizations and the unsung heroes who do this challenging work, embody the spirit of community resilience, mobilizing staff, resources and sometimes volunteers to tackle our most complex social issues. For instance, many nonprofits not only provide immediate relief to people struggling with homelessness, but also advocate for long-term systemic change. They work tirelessly to connect vulnerable populations such as transitional age youth, seniors and veterans with vital services, ensuring that no one falls through the cracks of the city’s safety net.  

The impacts of this work are clear. Since 2018, the City and its nonprofit partners have dramatically expanded the homelessness response system by:  

  • Increasing site-based supportive housing by 23% ​  
  • Increasing scattered site supportive housing by 306% 
  • Increasing rapid rehousing by 86%; and  
  • Increasing emergency shelter and transitional housing by 72%  

Ending Homelessness   

  • Together the City and its nonprofit partners fund and operate over 13,300 units of housing specifically designed for people with histories of homelessness and complex economic and health needs. 
  • Last year the City and its nonprofit partners moved 2,453 people off the streets and into long-term housing: 67% adults, 16% transitional age youth and 16% families with children.​  
  • Last year alone, the City and its nonprofit partners provided housing for 16,403 households who used to be homeless. 

Preventing Homelessness   

  • Last year the City in partnership with nonprofit organizations helped over 1500 households avoid homelessness through $10.3 million in financial assistance. Approximately 50% of the financial assistance paid for back-rent so tenants could remain in their current housing. ​  

Financial Assistance  

  • Last year the City and its nonprofit partners helped 1,070 households end their homelessness quickly through $3.2 million in flexible financial assistance.  

Relocation Assistance  

  • Last year the City helped 419 people reunite with family or friends and relocate to a community outside of San Francisco. ​  

Shelter   

  • Last year the City and its nonprofit partners provided temporary shelter and transitional housing to 9,990 people experiencing homelessness over the course of the year.  

Moreover, nonprofits often serve as innovators, piloting new solutions that can be scaled with dedicated city funding. Their approach allows for a deep understanding of community needs, enabling tailored responses that are both effective and compassionate. With limited funding and resources, these organizations demonstrate remarkable creativity and dedication, often relying on community partnerships to amplify their impact. 

In an era where social services are increasingly strained, it is imperative to recognize and support the invaluable contributions of nonprofit organizations. They are not just service providers; they are advocates, allies, and a lifeline for many in San Francisco. Investing in and supporting these organizations is essential to fostering a more livable city for all residents.