community spotlight

By Michael Gause

Like many other families searching for affordable housing in San Francisco, Mei-Qing Liu and her young son were caught between a rock and a hard place. The residential hotel room they lived in cost only around $500 a month, but she and her son were forced to share a cramped room without a private kitchen or bathroom. On the other hand, as a single mother raising a young child, she didn’t have enough money to pay for a security deposit and the higher rent that would come with a new apartment. In August 2007, Liu applied to the Tenderloin Housing Clinic’s Family Housing Program for help.

The Family Housing Program was created in February 2007 to assist low-income, working families obtain adequate housing and achieve greater self-sufficiency. Families living in single-room occupancy hotels (SROs) or living in overcrowded conditions in the Tenderloin district of San Francisco are eligible to apply for the program. If accepted, they receive a short-term rental subsidy to apply toward rent on a unit in the private market. Families receive subsidies of up to $500 per month for one year with extensions up to a maximum of two years. The program is funded by San Francisco’s Human Services Agency.

Unlike Section 8 and other rental assistance programs, the Family Housing Program offers temporary help in three stages: finding housing, meeting financial goals and transitioning off of the short-term subsidy. Three family case managers assist families with searching for housing, obtaining childcare, signing up for employment and vocational training, and finding better employment. Since most families have at least one family member already working, THC’s case managers usually assist the other family members with gaining employment or removing barriers to employment.

For Liu, the Family Housing Program produced rapid results. She and Sherry Zhu, her case manager, found a large one-bedroom apartment in Nob Hill in October 2007. Liu’s application was accepted, she moved into the unit in November, and THC assisted her with a monthly subsidy of $339. For the first time in the four years since she immigrated to the United States, Liu has her own spacious private residence, including her own kitchen and bathroom. She has had more time to focus on work, and has received two raises since moving to her new apartment.

Liu expects to transition off of the subsidy after one year, which is the target for every family. “When I lived in the residential hotel, I had to share a bathroom and kitchen with 14 other families, and there was a bar below my unit,” she says. “Now, we have our own apartment in a very nice area, and we’re much happier.”

In the Family Housing Program’s first year, it provided rental subsidies to 44 families. All but one of these families has found housing in San Francisco, which is noteworthy given the high rents in the city. Every single family that has been placed into housing has been timely with their rents, and there has not been a single problem reported by a landlord.

Many families rent directly with single property owners, but numerous realty agencies have partnered with the Family Housing Program. Realty companies that have accepted our families include Mosser Companies, Centerstone Realty, Makras Realty, Levy and Company, MAG Management, John J. Dito and Sons, Hogan and Vest, Victory Realty, West Coast Property Management and Broadway LLC.

There are numerous advantages to landlords who rent to tenants in the Family Housing Program. Each family that applies for placement in the program is screened carefully for employment and good rental history. In cases where families have bad credit, they are assisted with credit repair and counseling. Also, all families must meet on a regular basis with their family case manager, and their financial plans are reviewed on a quarterly basis. Finally, each family must pick up their monthly subsidy directly from the Tenderloin Housing Clinic, where it is combined with their portion of the rent into one check sent directly to the landlord. THC tracks each family’s rent in a database, and notifies landlords prior to rent being due if any problems are anticipated. If that is the case, families have quicker access to emergency rent funds.

Still, it often remains difficult for families to find housing on the private market, even with the resources the Family Housing Program provides. “The families we work with are very hard working,” says Lourdes Figueroa, one of THC’s family case managers. “It’s hard for them to find housing because of the language barrier and a lack of affordable childcare. These are the things we help them overcome.”

Zhu and Edith Chan, THC’s two other family case managers, agree. “Many families don’t have access to the internet to search for housing or haven’t had computer training,” says Zhu. “It’s such a big help to find landlords who are willing to help the families on my caseload and give them the same chance everyone else has. Many landlords don’t understand what the program does or how it’s different from Section 8. The landlords I have worked with are now starting to call me before placing ads for vacancies. It saves them money on advertising.”

Chan has already seen one family reunited after being placed into a one-bedroom in Lower Nob Hill. In that case, a single father was able to reunite with his young son. Prior to that, he was living in a residential hotel that did not allow children. Now, Chan’s client and his son each have their own rooms and spent their Christmas together in their new apartment this past year.

---

The opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the viewpoint of SFAA or SF Apartment Magazine. Michael Gause is the program manager of the Family Housing Program. If you are interested in partnering with the Family Housing Program and have a vacancy in one of your units, please contact him at 415-336-7713 or at michaelg@thclinic.org. Copyright © 2008 by SF Apartment Magazine. All rights reserved.