Mayor Lee’s Joint Statement With San Francisco Interfaith Council On Helping Homeless This Winter Season

WASHINGTON, D.C. – November 27, 2015 – (RealEstateRama) — Mayor Edwin M. Lee and San Francisco Interfaith Council Executive Director Michael Pappas today issued the following joint statement on helping homeless residents and providing shelter for those that need it during the cold, wet winter season and anticipated El Niño storms:

“We’re in for wet and very cold weather this Thanksgiving weekend, and we are concerned for the health and well-being of people living in the streets in San Francisco. We take this opportunity to remind everyone that in these extreme conditions we are providing shelter for every person who seeks it through our Winter Shelter partnership every night through February.

In partnership with the Episcopal Community Services and the Human Services Agency, the Winter Shelter

Program is a demonstration of our compassionate City. We thank the Night Ministry, our host congregations – St. Boniface Church, St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption and the First Unitarian Universalist Society of SF – along with the forty congregations who prepare and serve meals, for doing their part, during this cold and rainy season, to provide for the essential needs of our City’s most vulnerable residents.

We have made progress in housing our homeless veterans, our transitional age youth, homeless families and those most in need. For that we are most thankful. But we can do more and we will. During this holiday season, we redouble our effort to help those exit the streets – for good – through our innovative programs like the Navigation Center. With our strong economic foundation, we have a special opportunity to change our City for the better and change the lives of our residents.”

For the past 27 years, Human Services Agency and Episcopal Community Services have collaborated with the San Francisco Interfaith Council to provide additional shelter services to the homeless in San Francisco. The 2015-2016 Winter Shelter Program began on Sunday, November 22, 2015 and will operate through Saturday, February 27, 2016. Two meals will be provided each day for shelter guests. The first location to host additional winter shelter beds for single men is St. Boniface Church located at 133 Golden Gate Avenue. Winter Shelter Program spaces are reserved on a first come, first served basis each Sunday. The reservation ticket will allow the guest a seven-night stay. Please note these spaces are not reserved through the regular adult emergency shelter reservation system, CHANGES.

As part of this year’s budget, the Mayor has allocated nearly $40 million to fund programs for the City’s homeless population which includes a women’s winter shelter to operate year-round for the next two years.

Also included in the increased funding is the addition of 500 new units of supportive housing for homeless San Franciscans. This expansion is in conjunction with significant investments to increase staff at existing supportive housing sites and provide the needed services for San Francisco’s homeless population. The City’s first-of-its-kind Navigation Center continues to provide housing and services with a new $3 million re-allocation of City funds to expand the model, and Mayor Lee has challenged the private sector to match the City’s commitment at least dollar-for-dollar. Mayor Lee introduced legislation to the Board of Supervisors to create a Navigation Partnerships Fund to receive philanthropic contributions earmarked for Navigation services, funding which must be matched by the City before it can be spent.

Winter Shelter Schedule for Single, Male Adults:

St. Boniface Church located at 133 Golden Gate Avenue and Leavenworth Street will be open from Sunday, November 22, 2015 through Friday, December 11, 2015.

St. Mark’s Lutheran Church located at 1031 Franklin Street and O’Farrell Street will be open from Saturday, December 12, 2015 through Tuesday, December 15, 2015 and will reopen next year on Sunday, January 17, 2016 through Saturday, February 6, 2016.

Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Assumption located at 1111 Gough Street and Geary Street will be open from Wednesday, December 16, 2015 through Saturday, January 16, 2016.

First Unitarian Universalist Society of San Francisco located at 1187 Franklin Street and Geary Street will be open from Sunday, February 7, 2016 through Saturday, February 27, 2016.

Mayor Edwin M. Lee and San Francisco Interfaith Council Executive Director Michael Pappas today issued the following joint statement on helping homeless residents and providing shelter for those that need it during the cold, wet winter season and anticipated El Niño storms:

“We’re in for wet and very cold weather this Thanksgiving weekend, and we are concerned for the health and well-being of people living in the streets in San Francisco. We take this opportunity to remind everyone that in these extreme conditions we are providing shelter for every person who seeks it through our Winter Shelter partnership every night through February.

In partnership with the Episcopal Community Services and the Human Services Agency, the Winter Shelter

Program is a demonstration of our compassionate City. We thank the Night Ministry, our host congregations – St. Boniface Church, St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption and the First Unitarian Universalist Society of SF – along with the forty congregations who prepare and serve meals, for doing their part, during this cold and rainy season, to provide for the essential needs of our City’s most vulnerable residents.

We have made progress in housing our homeless veterans, our transitional age youth, homeless families and those most in need. For that we are most thankful. But we can do more and we will. During this holiday season, we redouble our effort to help those exit the streets – for good – through our innovative programs like the Navigation Center. With our strong economic foundation, we have a special opportunity to change our City for the better and change the lives of our residents.”

For the past 27 years, Human Services Agency and Episcopal Community Services have collaborated with the San Francisco Interfaith Council to provide additional shelter services to the homeless in San Francisco. The 2015-2016 Winter Shelter Program began on Sunday, November 22, 2015 and will operate through Saturday, February 27, 2016. Two meals will be provided each day for shelter guests. The first location to host additional winter shelter beds for single men is St. Boniface Church located at 133 Golden Gate Avenue. Winter Shelter Program spaces are reserved on a first come, first served basis each Sunday. The reservation ticket will allow the guest a seven-night stay. Please note these spaces are not reserved through the regular adult emergency shelter reservation system, CHANGES.

As part of this year’s budget, the Mayor has allocated nearly $40 million to fund programs for the City’s homeless population which includes a women’s winter shelter to operate year-round for the next two years.

Also included in the increased funding is the addition of 500 new units of supportive housing for homeless San Franciscans. This expansion is in conjunction with significant investments to increase staff at existing supportive housing sites and provide the needed services for San Francisco’s homeless population. The City’s first-of-its-kind Navigation Center continues to provide housing and services with a new $3 million re-allocation of City funds to expand the model, and Mayor Lee has challenged the private sector to match the City’s commitment at least dollar-for-dollar. Mayor Lee introduced legislation to the Board of Supervisors to create a Navigation Partnerships Fund to receive philanthropic contributions earmarked for Navigation services, funding which must be matched by the City before it can be spent.

Winter Shelter Schedule for Single, Male Adults:

St. Boniface Church located at 133 Golden Gate Avenue and Leavenworth Street will be open from Sunday, November 22, 2015 through Friday, December 11, 2015.

St. Mark’s Lutheran Church located at 1031 Franklin Street and O’Farrell Street will be open from Saturday, December 12, 2015 through Tuesday, December 15, 2015 and will reopen next year on Sunday, January 17, 2016 through Saturday, February 6, 2016.

Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Assumption located at 1111 Gough Street and Geary Street will be open from Wednesday, December 16, 2015 through Saturday, January 16, 2016.

First Unitarian Universalist Society of San Francisco located at 1187 Franklin Street and Geary Street will be open from Sunday, February 7, 2016 through Saturday, February 27, 2016.