Community Resources

Housing Resources

Family Coordinated Entry Access Points

  • San Francisco operates a single coordinated entry waitlist for housing in the city. Families can get more information and resources from one of the three Access Points located throughout San Francisco. Information about locations and hours can be found on the Family Coordinated Entry website

Stay Over Program at Buena Vista Horace Mann

  • Contact your student's school social worker or the Student Family and School Resource Link at (415) 340-1716 or sflink@sfusd.edu for more information about this emergency shelter. SFUSD staff who want to refer students and their families to this program can follow the "Additional Forms & Info For Staff" link below for the referral form. 

San Francisco Mayor's Office of Housing and Community Development 

If a youth is seeking emergency or temporary shelter...

Youth seeking emergency shelter, ages 17 and younger, who may be separated from their family, caregivers, or another legal guardian, as well as youth who run away or are couch surfing, may receive temporary housing support as well. 

Youth between the ages of 18 and 27 can contact a Youth Access Point using the website below.

Youth in Alameda County can access

 

What youth can expect:

Youth should expect to be asked additional questions to access needs and options.

Youth seeking shelter should expect a safe, youth-friendly environment and staff to help with reunifying with family and other steps to help them with safe housing options.

If a family is seeking immediate emergency or temporary shelter...

Families seeking immediate- temporary shelter, can self-refer to:

  • Stay Over Program at Buena Vista Horace Mann by calling (628) 215-2080
  • Oasis Family Shelter operated by the Providence Foundation by calling (415) 368-1798
  • UAV Compass Family Shelter by calling (415) 340-0572
  • San Francisco's Coordinated Entry Access Points by visiting a Family Access Point

Parents and caregivers eligible for public benefits under CalWorks should also inquire about housing and financial assistance. For more information, go to the CalWorks website, call or visit one of their service centers.

What families can expect:

Families should expect to be asked additional questions about their needs to access appropriate options.

Families in shelter can expect a safe, family-friendly environment, 3 meals per day, and staff who can meet with them about their needs.

If a family is facing eviction or if needing support with moving costs...

Families who may be facing eviction or who may need support with moving costs, in order stay housed and support long-term housing stability, can contact a number of organizations that can provide consultation or support dependent on the families’ circumstances

Glide also offers rental assistance. Rental Assistance is provided Mon-Fri, 8:30am – 4:00 pm in Room 101. Emergency options for eviction, back rent and deposits are available.

  • Persons applying for rental assistance must attend a housing readiness workshop. For dates more information, please contact: Danielle Cato via email or by phone at: 415-674-6012.
  • Case Management is provided when available. Ask for Angela Coleman or Demarco McCall.

The San Francisco Emergency Rental Assistance Program (SF ERAP) also assists once a calendar year to SF residents who:

  • Have past-due rent;
  • Cannot afford move-in costs for a new unit they have identified and plan to lease; and/or
  • Need limited assistance with future rent to maintain their housing.

The SF ERAP application can be found here

 

What families can expect:

Families should expect to be asked additional questions about their needs to access appropriate options.

There is a community of service providers that support eviction prevention, who will have a conversation with families about their current eviction crisis, and suggest possible next steps that can be taken to remedy the situation.
 

If a family is seeking housing, but not in imminent danger of losing housing...

Families at risk of homelessness should contact one of San Francisco's Coordinated Entry Access Points.

What families can expect:

Families should expect to be asked additional questions to access needs and options.

Access Point staff discuss your needs with you. They will possibly connect you with various resources including Problem-Solving, shelter, housing or rental assistance.


 

If a family is seeking shelter and housing support outside of San Francisco...

Like San Francisco, many neighboring bay area counties have their own coordinated entry system to support youth and families experiencing homelessness or housing instability. 

You can also call 2-1-1 to get immediately connected to your local resources and support. 

Additional Resources

San Francisco offers a variety of resources for families. It is recommended to use this information as a guide and to always follow up with the organization by calling them to confirm times and availability. Resources are also available by calling 2-1-1

For additional support navigating these resources, connect with your student's school or the Student Family School Resource Link at (415) 340-1716 or at sflink@sfusd.edu 

Holiday & Winter Break Resources

Hotlines: 

  • National Suicide Prevention Hotline: 988
  • The Safe & Sound TALK Line: (415) 441-KIDS (415-441-5437)
  • Huckleberry Youth Programs/ Crisis Shelter Hotline: (415) 621-2929
  • Trevor Project: (866) 488-7386
  • Call 311 for additional food resources and public benefits available in San Francisco
  • 24-hr Child Crisis: (415) 970-3800 only de-escalation and hospitalization (no welfare checks)

Food Resources

City of San Francisco Food Resources

Cal-Fresh/EBT Benefits

  • Apply online or by phone at (415) 558-4700 to get the application started or for more information. You can also schedule an appointment for application assistance at 2EnrollMeSF.org.

San Francisco/Marin Foodbank

  • The food bank has pop-up pantries around the city. Check the food finder link for more information.  Some sites require a simple registration. Check back often for updates.

Food Resources for Older Adults and People with Disabilities

More resources can be found on the SFUSD's Student Nutrition Services webpage for more information about school meals, the SF-Marin Food Bank, Pandemic-EBT, and other food resources.

Free Clothing & Household Items

St. Anthony’s runs San Francisco’s largest free clothing program, providing new and gently-used clothing to individuals and families experiencing homelessness and poverty.

  • Students and families that are in immediate need of clothing can schedule an appointment in person at 121 Golden Gate
  • Staff are available Monday through Saturday from 7am to 3pm to assist.

Glide also offers access to hygiene items, clothing, and other household items as available.

  • Monday through Friday: 8:30 am – 2:00 pm
  • DMV vouchers are given 8:30 am – 4:00 pm (no exceptions)
  • Blankets are available at 4:00 pm


 

Free MUNI

Youth

  • The SFMTA has expanded the Free Muni for Low- and Moderate-Income Youth to all youth 18 years and younger, regardless of household income level. No application or proof of payment/Clipper card is required to ride Muni vehicles, with the exception of Cable Cars. Simply get on and ride.

Adults

  • SFMTA offers an Access Pass which is a Muni-only pass for individuals experiencing homelessness. The pass provides free access to Muni vehicles for the pass holder for 24 months. More information and the application can be found here.

 

 

Internet

Any Family in need of home Internet connectivity should visit getacp.org to learn more and apply for services through the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), a long-term program administered by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). With the FCC’s Affordable Connectivity Program, families can save on their bill and may be able to get high-speed Internet for free!

Paper applications are available in both English and Spanish. Families are responsible for mailing their completed application to the address listed on the application. 

You can call the ACP Support Center at (877) 384-2575 or email them at ACPSupport@usac.org

7 days a week, from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. for more information.

 

Resources Outside of San Francisco

Below are resources created by school districts, and county offices of education in neighboring counties. 

Oakland and Alameda County

Housing and Community Resources Guide (created by Oakland Unified School District)

Homeless Liaisons at nearby County Offices of Education (COEs)

The California Department of Education maintains lists of all homeless liaisons at school districts and county offices of education in the state. The lists can be found here

Homeless liaisons for nearby bay area County Offices of Education are:

Please contact these liaisons for more information regarding county resources and education supports for homeless students and families. 

This page was last updated on March 21, 2024