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San Francisco to transform two hotels into permanent housing for homeless

By KTVU Staff
Updated  January 7, 2020 5:46pm PST
Housing
KTVU FOX 2

San Francisco leasing hotels to house homeless

San Francisco plans to open 151 units of housing for homeless and formerly homeless adults. 

SAN FRANCISCO (KTVU) - San Francisco plans to open 151 units of housing for homeless and formerly homeless adults. 

Mayor London Breed said on Tuesday, the city will provide funding to the Tenderloin Housing Clinic and Episcopal Community Services for use of the 62-unit Abigail Hotel and the 89-unit Post Hotel. The new units are part of Mayor Breed’s commitment to opening 450 additional units of Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) by the end of 2020.

“Shelter is an important part of our homeless response system and is essential for meeting the immediate needs of our neighbors in crisis, but housing is the solution to homelessness,” said Mayor Breed. “These new homes not only provide permanent housing for formerly homeless people, but they also open up more spaces in our shelter system for people who are currently living on the streets. Addressing this crisis requires more housing at all types, and these 151 homes will make an important difference for those who are ready to start the next chapter in their lives.”

Last year, Breed allocated $7.6 million to support PSH services that combine affordable housing with access to on-site social services to people exiting chronic homelessness. 

The currently vacant Abigail Hotel is undergoing renovations and will open in the spring. The Single Room Occupancy (SRO) Hotel is located in the Civic Center area and all rooms have a private bathroom. The city said Tenderloin Housing Clinic will manage The Abigail for residents of PSH who no longer need supportive services and can live independently. The units they vacate then become available to persons leaving shelters and the streets.

The Post Hotel is also an SRO building in the Union Square area with 89 units, 65 of which will be available once the building is ready for people to move in. Eligibility for the PSH units is determined by the City’s Coordinated Entry prioritization process, which is based on vulnerability, length of homelessness, and barriers to housing.