Supportive housing targets end to chronic homelessness

San Francisco officials on Wednesday celebrated the opening of a new housing project that consists of 50 units for chronically homeless individuals.

Minna Lee, in the South of Market neighborhood, already has 48 occupants living in the housing complex with two more units expected to be filled later this month. The nonprofit Episcopal Community Services and Delivering Innovation in Supportive Housing will help run the operations at the new supportive housing location at 149 Sixth St.

In her two-year budget, Mayor London Breed allocated $4 million to help fund the operations of the new Minna Lee permanent housing site

Breed said at the press conference at the grand opening:

“This is gonna meet a lot for the 50 residents, people who sadly have been struggling with homelessness right here on our streets in The City.”

Breed added that Minna Lee will also provide support services for residents to keep their permanent housing.

Beth Stokes, executive director of Episcopal Community Services said:

“This is a celebration of 50 more solutions in our collective effort in ending chronic homelessness in San Francisco.”

The City has 1,300 units of supportive housing units in the works for adults, families and youth and already more than 7,500 supporting housing units, according to city officials.

Units inside Minna Lee are all furnished with a bed, dresser, sink, microwave and mini refrigerator.

Jeff Kositsky, director of the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing, said in a statement that supportive housing plays a critical role in reducing homelessness in The City:

“Permanent supportive housing effectively ends homelessness for some people with critical needs who would otherwise stay on our streets.”

Jerold Chinn

Jerold serves as a reporter and San Francisco Bureau Chief for SFBay covering transportation and occasionally City Hall and the Mayor's Office in San Francisco. His work on transportation has been recognized by the San Francisco Press Club. Born and raised in San Francisco, he graduated from San Francisco State University with a degree in journalism. Jerold previously wrote for the San Francisco Public Press, a nonprofit, noncommercial news organization. When not reporting, you can find Jerold taking Muni to check out new places to eat in the city.