A new city-owned property will offer permanent housing to 70 chronically homeless veterans by the end of the month.
The Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing (DHSH) will open the Auburn Hotel at 481 Minna St. to provide "stable housing, a fresh start and opportunity for those to whom we owe a special debt,” director Jeff Kositsky said in a statement.
The former single-room occupancy hotel was recently renovated; each unit will include a bed, dresser, mini-fridge, microwave, and a television.
Delivering Innovations for Supportive Housing (DISH) will manage the property. The organization manages six other buildings in the area that serve more than 450 formerly homeless adults, many of whom have chronic health conditions.
Episcopal Community Services will provide on-site support services and will work with DISH, the local VA, and DHSH to support the veterans living at the Auburn.
San Francisco has housed 278 veterans over the last year, and as of October 2017, there are “just over 100 chronically homeless veterans,” according to the city. Officials say 45 percent of the new supportive housing created in the last year is occupied by veterans.
Housing programs for veterans are supported with federal and local resources, and city agencies have partnered with nonprofit Swords to Plowshares to help quickly match veterans to the best available resources.
“Through our partnership, meeting weekly since 2013, we have successfully housed nearly 1,000 chronically homeless Veterans in San Francisco,” said Leon Winston, the group's CEO.
