A Case for Action
Coalition on Homelessness, San Francisco
Homeless families have been largely ignored in the city's new homelessness initiatives. The city has continued to address the most visible homeless people, mainly those termed "chronically homeless," who are typically single adults. While homeless families are included in the definition of chronic homelessness, we have yet to see this change reflected in policy decisions. We are calling for the city of San Francisco to adopt a "Housing First for Homeless Families" policy.
First Step Recommendations
Funding for these initiatives should not come from eroding cornerstone poverty abatement programs such as treatment, employment, childcare, public benefits or legal services.
- 25% of the Mayor's 3,000 units of housing for homeless people should be set aside for homeless families.
- 120 locally funded housing subsidies for homeless families at $500 per family per month.
- Triple the amount of funding for homeless prevention and broaden criteria.
Current SF Policy
- The Mayor plans to designate only 7% (or 214 units) of the 3,062 new housing units promised to homeless people by 2008 for families (Mayor's Office on Housing SH Pipeline, July 2005). Increasing this to 25% would bring total to 765 units.
- A report by San Francisco's City Controller in 2002 found that "families usually wait 3 to 5 months for space in a full-time shelter". The average wait for Section 8 housing through the Housing Authority is 4 years.
- In 2005 the wait list to get into a full service shelter continues to be as high as 100 families.
- According to the Coalition's Housing First Report, the most cited reason that families remained homeless was that rents were too high. 30% reported that their greatest barrier to exiting homelessness was unaffordable rent.
- Average market rate for a 2 bedroom apartment is over $1,700 in San Francisco,
- CalWorks grant is currently $723 for a family of three.
- A parent of two making $10.00 an hour full time earns about $1,495 per month after taxes. Most homeless families have incomes far below this. Lastly, most landlords require earning triple the amount of your rent.
Housing First as a Policy for Families
- Housing First is a policy the Coalition on Homelessness has called for consistently during the past 10 years. What it means is that homeless people can be placed in housing directly off the streets, without first going through a "readiness process," shelter, or transitional housing program.
- Housing First challenges popular beliefs in the social work field that you must have a "continuum" whereby homeless people must be "housing ready" before placement in housing.
- Homeless families are poorer, younger, more likely to be pregnant, from an ethnic minority and less likely to have a housing subsidy. Homeless families are not more likely to be mentally ill, depressed or less educated. (Sources: Shinn & Weitzman, 1996; Bussuk et al., 1997). As a group, homeless families are poorer, not more "troubled".
Documenting the Need
- Nationally, 600,000 families are homeless (Based on NSHAPC, Rog, Shin and Culhane, 2003)
- In San Francisco, 2,700 people are members of homeless families, representing roughly 40% of the homeless population (First Five). This includes:
- 582 beds (usually full) at the 5 emergency family and 7 transitional shelters
- 65 mothers and their children at the 3 domestic violence shelters
- 10 youth at 2 shelters for under 18's
- An estimated 4000 youth per year on the street (Mayor's Office), of which at least 15-20% are estimated by service providers to be under 18.
- 1560 family members, including 760 children (40% are 0-5 yrs old), in SRO hotels (Families in SRO Collaborative and Department of Public Health 2001 Census).
- 400 adults and their children doubling up.
- Homeless Prenatal Program reports serving 2,400 homeless families a year in San Francisco.
Negative Impact on Children
The city needs to prioritize homeless families in its policy initiatives because of the disproportionately negative effects homelessness has on children. Homeless children are the fastest-growing segment of the homeless population (Mayor's Conference on Homelessness, 2004). The children are the city's future!
- More than 500 children (under 17 years of age), live in San Francisco Emergency and Transitional Shelters on any single day. (Housing First Report).
- "Children that are homeless are at risk for many short and long-term problems. They have a higher rate of:
- serious and chronic health problems (i.e asthma, hospitalizations),
- developmental delays,
- mental health problems (especially depression and anxiety, compounded by exposure to trauma and violence),
- academic failures (including grade repetition),
- behavioral problems (i.e. aggression, poor social skills, difficulty with relationship building),
- hunger and poor nutrition."
- In a report issued by the Coalition on Homelessness, "Housing First," of 61 families living in shelters and Single Room Occupancy Hotel rooms, it found:
- On average, families have 2.3 children.
- 62% had been homeless for more than 2 years.
- Families reported that homelessness had caused them tremendous stress, lack of privacy, and even sickness.
The Financial Impact
- The city of San Francisco, on average, is spending $92.52 per night to keep a family of three in shelter and $8,035.20 for a ninety-day stay in one of the DHS Family Shelters (Department of Human Services, Aug 2003).
- The city of San Francisco is spending $34, 479 to keep the average family of three in shelters for one year (Department of Human Services, Aug 2003).
- It would cost the city of San Francisco $6,000 per year to permanently house a family of three with our shallow subsidy. That is a savings of over $28,000 compared with the $34,479 that it costs to keep the same family in shelter for one year. (Council of Community Organizations, DHS, 2003).
The Solution
- Studies show that subsidized housing cures homelessness! (Rog et. al.) A 9-city study finds 88% remained housed 18 months post-placement. Two New York City studies find 93% remain housed 2 years post-placement whereas 38% of families without a subsidy returned to homelessness. (Based on NSHAPC, Burt et al., 2002; Rog, Shinn and Culhane, 2003)
- Invest in and implement our three pronged recommendations immediately! We need 25% of homeless housing going to families + 120 rent subsidies + increased homeless prevention funds now!