Home by the Bay: Equity Addendum

The Equity Addendum outlines the City’s approach to identifying racial and other inequities in the homelessness response system, setting targeted equity goals, and establishing a framework to measure progress over time.

You can read the full addendum here:
Download the Equity Addendum (PDF)

You may also review the companion analysis here:
Equity Baseline Analysis Summary (PDF)

Why an Equity Addendum?

When Home by the Bay launched in 2023, Goal #2 was intentionally designed to be developed over time. Unlike the other four goals, which had immediate measurable targets, Goal #2 required:

• A deep analysis of disparities across the system,
• Establishing baseline metrics, and
• Developing specific equity goals and subgoals.

In 2024–25, HSH completed a comprehensive Equity Baseline Analysis, which identified disparities in access, outcomes, and service delivery. The Equity Addendum builds on that analysis and provides the roadmap for addressing the inequities identified.

Communities of Focus

HSH’s analysis confirmed that several communities are significantly overrepresented in the homelessness response system compared to their share of San Francisco’s population. The Equity Addendum centers four Communities of Focus:

• Black / African American
• Latine / Hispanic
• American Indian & Alaska Native (AIAN)
• Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander (NHOPI)

Additional intersectional analyses highlighted disparities by household type, age, disability status, gender identity, and sexual orientation. These findings guide the equity goals set for the years ahead.

Equity Goals

The Addendum establishes four equity goals, aligned with the plan’s existing Goals #1, #3, #4, and #5.

Equity Goal #1 – Decreasing Homelessness

Ensure communities of focus experience greater reductions in homelessness—including unsheltered homelessness, than the total population.

Equity Goal #2 – Exits from Homelessness

Ensure people from communities of focus exit homelessness at higher rates than the total population.

• Subgoals: Improve exit rates for Black families with disabling conditions, Black adults with disabling conditions, and Latine families.

Equity Goal #3 – Housing Stability

Ensure at least 85% of people from communities of focus do not return to homelessness within 24 months.

• Subgoals: Reduce returns for Black families and Latine transition-age youth.

Equity Goal #4 – Prevention Services

Ensure people from communities of focus receive prevention assistance at rates equal to or greater than their representation among people experiencing homelessness.

• Subgoals: Increase representation of Black adults and Black families receiving prevention assistance.

Key Findings from the Equity Baseline Analysis

The analysis identified disparities in multiple areas, including:

• Lower exit rates to permanent housing for Black and Latine households with disabling conditions
• Higher likelihood of returns to homelessness for certain subpopulations, including Latine transition-age youth
• Lower access to homelessness prevention services for Black families
• Systemwide differences in access to services, coordinated entry assessments, referrals, and move-ins

The analysis also highlighted system strengths, such as higher exit rates among Black adults and higher prevention access among households ages 45+.

How HSH Is Advancing Equity

The Equity Addendum outlines several areas of work now underway to operationalize equity across the system:

1. Partnering with People with Lived Experience (PWLE)

• Developing clear standards and toolkits for engaging community members with lived experience
• Expanding involvement in program design, procurement, and policy development

2. Engaging Community-Based Organizations

• Prioritizing collaboration with organizations rooted in highly impacted communities
• Integrating equity considerations into procurement and capacity-building efforts

3. Implementing Strategies to Reduce Inequities

• Inventorying existing activities that support communities of focus
• Identifying areas where new strategies, pilots, or co-designed models can drive impact

4. Measuring and Reporting Impact

• Establishing methods to track progress toward each equity goal
• Embedding equity-focused metrics into annual Home by the Bay progress reports

Equity & Inclusion Standards of Engagement and Care

The Addendum introduces a new Standards of Engagement and Care framework that outlines the principles and practices guiding equity across:

• Service delivery
• Procurement
• Governance
• Contract monitoring and accountability

These standards focus on:

• Advancing racial equity
• Power sharing and inclusive decision-making
• Cultural responsiveness
• Transparent and equitable contracting
• Community-centered engagement and oversight

Looking Ahead

In FY 2025–26, HSH will launch a four-phase structured process to deepen equity work across the system:

1. Internal Alignment – Training, tools, and staff engagement
2. Community Engagement – Working closely with providers and PWLE
3. Feedback Integration – Using community input to refine strategies
4. Sustained Planning – Embedding equity goals and standards in long-term operations

Progress toward all equity goals will be reported annually in the Home by the Bay Year 3 Progress Report.