Advocating for Survivor Housing
Learn about our past and upcoming initiatives and how you can get involved
Policy Has Impact, Especially for Our Clients
As a 501c3 non-profit organization, San Francisco SafeHouse does not endorse candidates from either political party, but we do support local and state measures that positively benefit our community.
CURRENT INITIATIVES
Understanding Women’s Homelessness in San Francisco
Women’s experiences of homelessness are too often overlooked. It’s time to change that.
As a founding member of the San Francisco Women’s Housing Coalition, SafeHouse is proud to share Understanding Women’s Homelessness in San Francisco, a groundbreaking report centering the voices and lived experiences of more than 400 women across our city.
The findings are sobering: nearly 60% of respondents identified domestic violence as a factor contributing to their homelessness, while nearly 75% experienced violence while unhoused.
Through firsthand accounts, research, and actionable recommendations, the report reveals critical gaps in our housing and shelter systems and offers a path toward safer, more equitable solutions.
Women have told us what they need. Now it's time to listen and act.
PAST INITIATIVES
The San Francisco Women’s Housing Coalition (WHC) is pleased to submit this comprehensive report regarding the status of homelessness for women in San Francisco. Women experience homelessness different than their male counterparts and therefore require different solutions. This report highlights some of the issues they face along with comprehensive solutions to address the needs for unhoused women.
Proposition A: For the first time ever San Francisco voters passed a measure dedicating funding for gender-specific housing for women who are in need.
Proposition A, the $300 million Affordable Housing Bond was historic in nature. This groundbreaking initiative allocated $30 million from the bond proceeds to construct, develop, acquire, and/or rehabilitate housing for extremely-low income households, very low-income households, and lower-income households. Particularly with those vulnerable communities in mind, the bond aims at providing essential trauma-informed support for survivors of homelessness, street violence, domestic violence, sexual abuse, and/or human trafficking - survivors that urgently need safe and stable housing.
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San Francisco SafeHouse recognizes the significance of this bond, which will transform the lives of unhoused women in San Francisco, one of the City's most marginalized populations. Women play a vital role in shaping our community, providing essential stability and support. The bond aligns with SafeHouse's mission to create a San Francisco where all women have access to safe, stable housing, which is a fundamental step toward rebuilding their lives.
According to data from the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing, San Francisco is home to an estimated over 3000 women or individuals with trans experience experiencing homelessness, with 41% of the total homeless population in the city identifying as a woman. These women face unique and daunting challenges, and the current level of gender-specific services available is insufficient. Shockingly, only 5% of the existing shelter, transitional, and respite beds in the city are designated for women. With over 90% of coed shelter spaces predominantly occupied by men, women are 106 times more likely to experience violence and sexual assault in these environments compared to gender-specific spaces.
Prop A will bring about a transformative change by providing more gender-specific safe spaces. This initiative is a critical step in addressing the stark gender disparity in San Francisco's homeless services. It will create secure, trauma-informed housing options, which are essential to help survivors of trauma-related experiences rebuild their lives.
