San Francisco just secured an $8.2 million grant under Project Homekey aimed at reducing unsheltered homelessness, particularly among young adults. Mayor London N. Breed announced the award, which will bolster the city's efforts to cut street-dwelling in half in five years. These funds will be directed to acquiring a 24-unit property at 42 Otis Street, making it the eighth property added to the city's portfolio under the state program.
This financial injection, sourced from the California Department of Housing and Community Development, has been a boon for San Francisco as it has expanded housing options for the formerly homeless by more than 50% since 2018. Mayor Breed highlighted the importance of collaboration across government tiers to tackle homelessness and expressed that these efforts are critical in breaking the cycle of homelessness for youth. According to an official news release, the city now touts the most permanent supportive housing in the Bay Area. It trails only Washington D.C. for the most housing units per capita nationwide.
Shireen McSpadden, executive director of San Francisco's Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing, welcomed the grant, saying it "will provide much-needed housing and support for vulnerable young adults", per sf.gov. At the same time, Steve Good, president and CEO of Five Keys, commented on the importance of housing solutions for the city's transitional-aged youth. On the ground, community members like Steven Depont-Kalani, who chairs the Casa Calibri Committee Advisory Board, support such initiatives, urging communities to welcome these programs with an open mind.
Under Mayor Breed's direction, the city has seen a meaningful decrease in youth homelessness, with a 9% drop in unsheltered youth under 24 since last year. Initiatives have included the launch of housing dedicated to youth, the expansion of engagement points to connect youth to resources, the establishment of the Lower Polk Youth Navigation Center, and the provision of dedicated rental subsidies, per the 2024 Point in Time Count. The forthcoming fiscal budget promises further investments totaling $32.5 million across various youth-centric housing and service programs — with rapid rehousing, permanent flexible housing subsidies, and the Just Home Project that navigates tackling the intersection of housing instability and incarceration for justice-involved youth.
With this latest grant, the Project Homekey initiative has procured 897 new units across the city's eight properties for street-lived individuals, launching a critical stance against the gnawing issue of homelessness. Project Homekey, initiated by Governor Gavin Newsom in 2020, represents a strategic and innovative approach to tackling homelessness. San Francisco has now been awarded a total of $239 million over four years, with objectives strictly aimed at creating permanent supportive dwellings.
