In response to the alarming rise in family homelessness, Supervisor Hilary Ronen, with support from the Coalition on Homelessness, introduced new legislation at the San Francisco Board of Supervisors meeting on October 22 to extend critical housing subsidies for families in need. The proposed ordinance amends the City’s Administrative Code to provide up to five years of rapid rehousing assistance for eligible families, addressing the increasing number of families at risk of returning to homelessness due to short-term housing subsidies.
Since 2022, the number of families experiencing homelessness in San Francisco has doubled, with over 500 families currently on the shelter waitlist. Many were able to exit homelessness through rental housing subsidies only to find themselves back on the streets once the subsidies expire. This legislation aims to stop this vicious cycle by extending the support families need to achieve long-term stability.
In the last two years, the number of unhoused families jumped from 205 to 405, according to the most recent point-in-time count from the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing.
“This legislation is crucial to preventing families from falling back into homelessness after their initial housing support ends,” said Mercedes Bullock, human rights organizer at Coalition on Homelessness. “We need to ensure that the City’s rapid rehousing programs offer adequate time and assistance to families facing the most severe housing challenges.”
At the meeting, Ronen pointed out the time lag between families receiving subsidies and being housed, often leaving just a short amount of time when they have a roof over their heads until their subsidies lapse.
“We have to stop the revolving door of poor families in San Francisco going from shelter to shelter to finally being housed again only to return to shelters again,” Ronen said.
The ordinance will allow the City to assess a family’s circumstances and, when necessary, extend rental subsidies for up to five years. Currently, many programs offer subsidies for only one to three years, but some families are unable to become financially self-sustaining within that time frame. For example, families receiving CalWORKs subsidies through the Human Services Agency (HSA) are limited to a one- to three-year support window, which can force families back into homelessness.
A key part of the ordinance requires the City’s Homelessness Oversight Commission to hold annual hearings and issue reports on the program’s implementation. These reports will analyze the effectiveness of extended subsidies in preventing returns to homelessness and offer recommendations for improvements.
“This legislation gives San Francisco the tools to stabilize more families and keep them from facing the trauma of homelessness again,” Coalition director Jennifer Friedenbach said.
Data from local family service providers underscore the importance of extending subsidies. Compass Family Services reported that 24% of families in their two-year program exited into unstable living conditions, while only 4% of families in their three-year program experienced similar instability.
This legislation acknowledges the challenges of securing landlords willing to rent to tenants with subsidies and aims to prevent premature evictions, allowing the City to maintain and expand landlord relationships, ultimately preserving more housing options for low-income families. By setting a bold new policy, this ordinance prioritizes family stability and takes a critical step toward breaking the cycle of poverty in San Francisco’s homelessness response.
