OVERVIEW
Fifty years ago, the destitute figures who dotted America’s streets were called winos and hobos, and in San Francisco they mainly stuck to Third Street’s Skid Row. Then, with the end of the Vietnam War, battle-shocked veterans began filling urban alleyways. The 1980s brought Reaganomics’ decimation of federal social and housing programs, and a cascade of the poor and mentally ill landed on the streets.
By the end of that decade, a new term had entered the lexicon of San Francisco and the rest of the nation: homeless.
Today, despite the efforts of six mayoral administrations dating back to Dianne Feinstein, homelessness is stamped into the city so deeply it’s become a defining characteristic.
San Francisco initially responded by providing temporary, spartan shelters. Now, it permanently houses thousands of people salvaged from the streets through multi million-dollar residential and counseling programs. But still, the city remains home to sprawling tent cities, junkies squatting on blankets shooting heroin, and all manner of anguished destitute people and beggars holding out hands.
The city’s last official count, in 2017, put the adult homeless population at 7,499, though many officials and advocates for homeless people say the number is much higher. Additionally, in 2017, the total number of unsheltered/sheltered youth totaled more than 1,550.
Whatever the case, homelessness in San Francisco doesn’t look much different than it did 10 years ago. Or 20.
Money has always been part of the problem — no matter how much the city has spent, it has never been enough. But homelessness has also persisted because of a lack of focus, and because good intentions have fallen short.
San Francisco is faced with an ever increasing homeless population. Additionally, within the core group of that population are a significant number of individuals who are gainfully employed within the City, who simply cannot afford housing. Equally limited, is the number of affordable housing units that are available at any given time. There are scores of individuals who have been on the City of San Francisco Priority 1 List for affordable housing for more than five (5) years.
In response, a number of people were consulted to figure out how to help these employed, but un-housed, individuals in various areas of the City. On June 14, 2018, Project UPWARD BOUND was born on the philosophy that “We’re Not a Shelter”, but a way up and out of the cycle of homelessness …. and that’s definitely a good thing!
As homelessness continues to grow nationwide, research reveals that Housing First—a best practice model that first connects people to permanent housing and then focuses on stabilization through voluntary supportive services, proved more effective.
Within the City and County of San Francisco, it is our goal to find permanent housing and provide case management, medical and mental healthcare, benefits advocacy, employment training, and other services to help them maintain their homes stably.
This will be accomplished through the efforts of Project Upward Bound in conjunction with the various corporations providing generous financial support; but also relying on social work and psychology programs of the universities within the city. This model has proven to work for other organizations without the assistance of city government.