New projects will add shelter for up to 430 people and nearly 200 units of permanent supportive housing

By S.F. Mayor’s Office of Communications

Mayor London N. Breed announced on December 10 the City is moving forward with four new projects that will provide shelter for up to 430 individuals and permanent housing for 194 residents who are currently experiencing homelessness.

As part of Breed’s bold Homelessness Recovery Plan, the City has committed to acquiring or leasing 1,500 new units of Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) and expanding shelter options for people living outdoors. There is an unprecedented confluence of local, state, and federal funding sources that provide the unique opportunity for significant investments in new permanent housing and shelter options.

This strategy brought in over 360 units of supportive housing through the 2020 Homekey Grant Program, and this fall, the Board of Supervisors authorized the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing (HSH) to acquire and convert three more existing properties into supportive housing in Districts 11, 9, and 6, which will add an additional 237 units.

To continue to build toward these goals, the City is announcing the following proposed four new projects:

• In partnership with the non-profit provider Urban Alchemy, master lease the property located at 711 Post St. to operate a new semi-congregate shelter for adults
• In partnership with Tenderloin Housing Clinic, fund a master lease and operations of the Garland Hotel located at 505 O’Farrell St. to add 80 units of affordable housing with onsite social services
• Convert the Baldwin Hotel, located at 74 6^th St., from its current use as supportive housing to approximately 180 units of non-congregate shelter for adults
• Proposed acquisition of the property located at 835 Turk St. to add up to 114 units of Permanent Supportive Housing in District 5

“We’re continuing to push forward in implementing our ambitious Homelessness Recovery Plan, which is the largest expansion of new Permanent Supportive Housing in over 20 years. These new projects will allow us to provide shelter for up to 430 individuals and permanent housing for 194 residents who are homeless in San Francisco,” said Breed. “We’re creating the places we need for people to get the housing and care they need so we can address the challenges we see on our streets and make a difference in the lives of people facing homelessness.”

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“These four innovative new and exciting projects demonstrate and help fulfill the vision of Mayor Breed’s Homelessness Recovery Plan,” said San Francisco Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing, executive director, Shireen McSpadden. “We know that housing is the solution to homelessness. By continuing to expand access to housing, and new shelter models we can stabilize more homeless residents in our community.”

The proposed master lease of 711 Post Street would provide temporary, semi-congregate shelter for adults experiencing homelessness through 123 units that include single, double, and quad units. The property is ideal for this new shelter model as it provides many amenities, including small sleeping rooms, bathrooms and showers on each floor, community lounges, lobby and front desk, commercial kitchen and dining space, and ADA chair lift at the entrance.

The semi-congregate shelter program that HSH is proposing would be operated by Urban Alchemy and would include meals for guests as well as dedicated Urban Alchemy staff practitioners supporting street activation along Post Street.

“The Urban Alchemy approach works because it is holistic. We embrace our unhoused neighbors who need safe spaces, and we embrace the neighborhood, so the quality of life improves for everyone,” said Lena Miller, CEO of Urban Alchemy that runs shelters throughout California. “The 711 Post model is exciting, and we’re committed to delivering our trademark success – a stable shelter with resources for those in need and a neighborhood of cleaner, safer streets.”

Additionally, in partnership with Tenderloin Housing Clinic (THC), the City is proposing to lease the Garland Hotel at 505 O’Farrell for use as permanent housing. The property has 80 units, an elevator, private bathrooms, private kitchenettes, is in close proximity to public transportation, and has been recently renovated.

Tenderloin Housing Clinic has extensive experience operating PSH and will be the leaseholder, operator, and service provider.

A third proposed project will convert the Baldwin Hotel from Permanent Supportive Housing to a non-congregate shelter. The Baldwin Hotel is currently a PSH Program, but the small rooms and lack of private bathrooms have been challenging to operate. The approximately 100 existing tenants at the Baldwin will have an opportunity to move with their current service provider (THC) to the Garland Hotel or another comparable PSH site.

Once tenants are relocated from the Baldwin, the Site would be re-opened as a non-congregate shelter as part of HSH’s temporary shelter portfolio, supporting the expansion of non-congregate shelter models that have been successful during the COVID-19 pandemic through the Shelter-in-Place (SIP) hotel program.

“It’s a huge improvement for the Baldwin residents,” said Tenderloin Housing Clinic executive director, Randy Shaw. “We thank Mayor Breed and HSH for seizing the opportunity to lease one of San Francisco’s finest SRO hotels into the permanent supportive housing program.”

The service provider of this non-congregate shelter has not yet been identified, and the shelter program is anticipated to open in the Spring/Summer of 2022.

The final proposed project is to purchase the property at 835 Turk St. in District 5 and convert it to Permanent Supportive Housing with up to 114 units with private bathrooms. The building will provide affordable homes with onsite social services to help tenants gain and maintain housing and stability.

The site will have staff, professional property management, and support services. The property is currently a residential hotel with high vacancy and includes generously sized rooms with private bathrooms, a lobby, dining room, and parking garage.

Through these four exciting, proposed projects, the City will add semi-congregate shelter for up to 200-250 guests, 194 new units of supportive housing, and approximately 180 new units of non-congregate shelter.

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