San Francisco spends $46 million on two contracts with homeless non-profit

(The Center Square)- San Francisco is considering approving additional funding with a single non-profit for a new total of $46 million for two separate contracts that offer administrative support for private housing to the homeless.

The contracts between the city of San Francisco and a non-profit, the Episcopal Community Services was reviewed at the June 4 Board of Supervisors meeting.

Episcopal Community Services is a non-profit organization that provides services to homeless individuals and families to find housing and shelter. The city of San Francisco contracted with over 600 nonprofit providers in fiscal year 2023 to deliver $1.7 billion of what it called "safety net services."

The first contract with the city and Episcopal Community Services will be for an additional $6.7 million, for a new total of $16.7 million for housing navigation for 600 homeless individuals. The contract will be extended for an additional 24 months ending June 30, 2026, according to documents.

This contract funds 25.53 full-time positions throughout the organization, while currently only 19 positions are filled. According to documents, these positions are to transition homeless individuals to permanent housing and help them acquire birth certificates, photo identification, social security cards, and other needed documents while keeping in contact and coordinating visits.

The non-profit has exceeded the 600 applications expected each fiscal year, peaking at 932 in 2022-23, then dropping to 858 applications in 2023-24. The original amount for this contract on July 1, 2021, was not to exceed $6.1 million but was extended in July of 2023 for $3.7 million, according to the contract.

The second contract between the city and Episcopal Community Services will extend until June 30, 2024, for an additional $17.4 million, for a new total of $29.5 million, and funds the city’s Flexible Housing Subsidy Pool, which provides case management and housing coordination services for 130 homeless individuals according to documents.

Mayor London Breed recently announced in her 2024-25 and 2025-26 city budget proposal fully funding the city’s encampment teams and safer families, which gives emergency shelter and rehousing support to families.

As of the 2022 Point-in-Time Count, there were 7,750 people experiencing homelessness in San Francisco.