Speak Up For Permanent Supportive Housing In San Francisco!

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Speak Up
For Permanent Supportive Housing In San Francisco!

Press Conference
Thursday, May 27, 9:30 a.m.
RSVP Here to Receive Zoom Link

Support From the Faith Community Is Crucial!

Dear Faith in Action Bay Area Leaders,

We have a call to action from our partnership with GLIDE, the Coalition on Homelessness, and Senior Disability Action. We are calling on the Mayor to use one-time funding from the federal and state government to acquire 1,000 additional units on top of what Prop C has in its investment plan. Here is a link to the background information. Support from large numbers of people is the key to success in this campaign.

1. Sign and distribute this petition to your communities ASAP. We need to collect as many signatures as possible by Thursday morning.

2. Share the petition on social media, personal and congregational. Here are a couple of suggested messages:

San Francisco has a golden opportunity to invest one-time federal and state funding to expand the stock of permanent supportive housing for thousands of unhoused San Franciscans. Sign this petition and tell @LondonBreed to fund the hotels: http://chng.it/fFvSfrjxKG

The annual cost to support people in permanent housing is less expensive than the annual cost of offering temporary shelter beds. It's the smart thing to do and the moral thing to do. Sign this petition and tell @LondonBreed to fund the hotels: http://chng.it/fFvSfrjxKG

3. Show up in support at the online press conference on Thursday, May 27, at 9:30 a.m., and invite your communities to do the same. RSVP here to receive the zoom link.

Ask Mayor London Breed To Include Funding
In the City Budget For Rental Subsidies
For Seniors and People with Disabilities!

PHONE CALL

Please call the Mayor at 415-554-6141 to ask her to fund an additional $3 million for portable senior and disability rental subsidies and an additional $3 million for Senior Operating Subsidies.
Background: A majority of senior renters and people with disabilities cannot afford to pay the rent for “affordable” housing. Their incomes are too low to qualify. SDA is asking for increased funding for two types of rental subsidies in the FY 2021-2022 City Budget:

1) Portable Rental Subsidies: The ask is for $3 million for people with disabilities and seniors to get portable subsidies that stay with the tenant. This is an existing program that assists people in paying their rent. If their rent is increased or their income decreases, they can apply for this subsidy, avoid eviction, and stay in their home; near loved ones, community healthcare, programs, and their support network.

2) Senior Operating Subsidies: The ask is for $3 million for senior subsidies that stay with the rental unit – called “Senior Operating Subsidies” (SOS). SDA worked with Supervisor Norman Yee and community partners such as Chinatown Community Development Center in 2019 to create this program where units in senior housing buildings are set aside to be deeply affordable, meaning seniors who’s only income is Social Security, SSDI, SSI, or GA can still afford to pay their rent.

Both of these programs have been successful and must be expanded! We are requesting that Mayor London Breed include an additional $3 million for Disability and Senior Portable Rental Subsidies and $3 million for Senior Operating Subsidies in the FY21-22 budget.

We would like to commend the Mayor for committing to funding Rent Relief in supportive housing so that tenants only pay 30% of their rent as income. We hope to work together to allocate more funds to serve tens of thousands more people with disabilities and seniors in attaining these subsidies therefor allowing them to afford to stay in their homes.

LETTER (to mayorlondonbreed@sfgov.org)

Dear Mayor Breed,

I am writing to urge you to fund rental subsidies for seniors and people with disabilities in the city budget for the upcoming fiscal year.

I am part of the senior and disability communities and I see the great need for housing that we can afford. What is called “affordable” housing in the city is not affordable for those of us living on Social Security, SSI, or other extremely low incomes.

Portable rental subsidies and Senior Operating Subsidies have made it possible for hundreds of seniors and people with disabilities to stay in their homes, but thousands more see our rents rising but our incomes staying the same.

Mayor Breed, you have the chance to expand subsidies and keep us in our homes and off the streets! Please include in the upcoming budget an additional $3 million for portable rental subsidies for seniors and people with disabilities and an additional $3 million for Senior Operating Subsidies.

Our communities are counting on you.