San Francisco opens its newest permanent supportive housing

SAN FRANCISCO - San Francisco's newest permanent supportive housing development recently opened.

The aim is to help keep formerly homeless residents off the streets.

A ribbon cutting ceremony was held Wednesday outside 1064 Mission Street, to inaugurate the opening of the city's largest permanent supportive housing building.

The project is the product of the combined effort of federal, state, and local governments as well as private sector. They all worked together to bring housing to what used to be a parking lot.

Michael Jackson, one of the first residents at the site, said he's on the path to recovery.

Jackson, who was formerly unhoused, said he is working to council others facing the same challenges he experienced.

"It's been a pretty good experience living here. And I plan to use this as a hand up, as opposed to a hand out," said Jackson.

The 1064 Mission project includes more than 250 studio apartments for residents, as well as on site nursing, counseling and medical care, in home supportive services and a job training program.

The site is a one-stop-shop to help residents stay on the path to permanent housing.

"What all of us are doing in this field is make it as easy as possible for people exiting homelessness to get the resources that they need with as few barriers as possible," said Doug Shoemaker from Mercy Housing. "And I think that's especially true here."