At the end of June, a shelter for families with children enrolled in San Francisco public schools, located at Buena Vista Horace Mann (BVHM) School, will move to Downtown High School for three years while BVHM is being renovated. The shelter will house 20 families, up to 60 people, from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. during the academic year and be available 24 hours a day in the summer. Families can stay up to 90 days with the possibility for extensions. The school auditorium will be used for meals; the gym for sleeping, with another small area employed for case management. Families will have access to bathrooms and showers.
“Public school to become a flophouse,” worried Vermont Street resident Lewis Epstein.
Mission Action, formerly Dolores Street Community Services, will run the shelter and help families navigate the housing, welfare, employment, health, and education systems. The initiative, which has housed families in 96 of San Francisco Unified School District’s 126 campuses, started seven years ago as a partnership between BVHM, the District, Mission Action, Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing (HSH), and former District 9 Supervisor Hillary Ronan.
Last month roughly 200 people attended a two-hour meeting to discuss the shelter held at Downtown High School. Presentations were led by HSH Deputy Director for Communications and Legislative Affairs Emily Cohen, Downtown High School Principal Todd Williams, Buena Vista Horace Mann Principal Claudia Delarios-Moran, and Nick Tannler, a school social worker. Cohen pointed to a rising rate of family homelessness in San Francisco. Data from the 2024 Point-in-Time Count indicates a 94 percent increase in families without permanent shelter since 2022.
Downtown High School, which was originally constructed as an elementary school, has an enrollment of just 103 students, with a 16 to one student-teacher ratio. Ninety-six percent of the student body is composed of non-white teenagers, with 72 percent considered economically disadvantaged.
“Teachers and all school members are in full support of the program,” said Williams.
“Kids were acting out and couldn’t focus at school,” Moran explained about the origins of the shelter program. “I had the idea to house homeless families to help the children…The immediate response was that it was temporary, and it did create a pathway out of homelessness”.
“Drug use in our family shelter is not a big issue,” said Cohen. “This is an issue we might see in some of our other programs, but not as much on our family side, but drugs are not allowed to be used on the premises, but if somebody does come in high, we’re going to work with them. It’s a case management issue. We’re going to try and connect them to recovery services”.
“In the seven years that we’ve been operating the stay over program, I can tell you that we have not had one incident of substance use,” Moran interjected.
“The fear that you have, this idea that it’s drugs, that it’s violence, that it’s dangerous, that it’s scary…you’re over thinking a little bit,” said Tannler. “Think of the playground…the park, or the beach. You see that family playing? This is who we’re talking about. We’re not talking about chronically homeless adults, were not talking about drug addicted adults…It’s the student who needs that sanctuary and that’s the feel that this program has. It feels like a community sanctuary where the adults in that child’s life have gotten together to figure out a plan for tonight…As we work through this conversation, I want to bring it back to your family unit. To that birthday party you had when you invited that friend from class and they came and they played. This is the same family that were talking about today”.
Residents noted that it’s not unusual to spot students from Downtown and nearby San Francisco International high school smoking cannabis on their way to and from campus.
“I learned about this by walking our three dogs…getting this group together a week before a decision is going to be made is something I’m concerned about…the lack of communication,” said Mike Bryan, a Hill resident since 1989. “We are open to it… I don’t want to speak for everyone but my family is. But I want to make sure that the communication is there…These are families… and it’s an emergency situation…but we need to have great communication going forward.”
“Leave your contact information when you leave,” Cohen replied. “We will put together a mailing list of neighbors near this site…and we will continue this conversation. This is not the only conversation that we need to have. We are happy to come back, continue to talk with you throughout operations of this program…and between HSH and Mission Action, we will be responsive.”
“We serve the families breakfast once a week,” said Carolyn, who attends a church located near BVHM. “I also tutor over at BVHM, and I want to just say…that this is not your typical homeless person you see on the street. These are families. These are parents. Some are single parents. They are interested in finding work, in finding a place to live…We set up a little play area for the children. We have parties for them…We’ve developed a wonderful relationship with these families, and I have found that they are just like my family, or maybe your family. They are interested in looking after their children…We’re going to miss them. Because our church is on the corner of Valencia and 24thstreets and it’s a long way from here”.
“In 2022-2023, me and my family, my husband and three kids, volunteered for about a year when the program was at BVHM and we also helped with the Christmas party and when I think about this program, I think about endless games of UNO, I think about making gods eyes,” said Lisa, a 20-year Hill resident. “I think about going to Daly City to buy the last Santa suit I could find on Christmas Eve, and I think about sharing a meal and I think about playing a lot of games and reading a lot of books and so I’m super, super excited that you’re coming. I’m a little sad it’s only three years…My question would be how can we create a community group to support you… I’m just a block away….My kids are excited. I’m actually very proud to be from San Francisco and for you all to do what you’re doing…It’s what we should be doing for our own humanity.”
“I’m concerned about the transportation opportunities and public trash cans, which we don’t have a lot of,” said Celeste, a Vermont Street resident.
“In terms of our footprint with our families, you can expect that there won’t be any loitering, any trash from our folks,” Moran replied. “Again, I want to reiterate that they’re coming in to have dinner, to rest for the night, to do their own bedtime routine like we do with our own children…The footprint is minimal and there’s no need for additional trash cans, as far as our families are concerned. But if trash cans are something you’re advocating for separate and distinct from this program, I’m happy to call Public Works.”
According to Mission Action the families will have access to free public transportation. The closest bus stop is two blocks away, on Rhode Island and 18th streets.
“I’m very concerned,” said Martino, a Rhode Island Street resident. “I’m concerned already with the students here….There’s constant trash in front of our house, cigarette butts…I’ve even talked to the kids…My neighbor that lives right below me, has trash constantly on the side of her yard that I’m always picking up, and it’s from the students from this school that are catching the bus, so if that’s already an issue with the students…What’s going to happen when we have other families during the school day. What are they going to do. I am very concerned that these families will not have the infrastructure to go, to get any necessary needs for their daily living.”
“There are a number of things in place,” Cohen replied. “We can absolutely have a text and call line for any neighborhood concerns that arise…We will be doing perimeter walks, and that includes debris removal, so it can potentially help the situation. We will have a few more eyes on the street and a few more people picking up trash. For the most part, families are off to work, or off to appointments during the day, and they are going to be out in the broader San Francisco community…96 schools have been served by this program…and I bring that up to say that it’s not just going to be people going out and hanging out in Potrero Hill when schools in session. These parents are likely crossing town, taking their kids to school, and going about their business during the day. We have not seen an increase in loitering, an increase in debris, or any of those concerns that you bring up at BVHM.”
My youngsters “…are really excited to hear about this program and I actually learned quite a bit about it already,” said Franchesca, a teacher who grew up and is raising two children in Potrero Hill. “I was almost brought to tears when I heard that this was coming here, and I’m so happy that it is. And my kids are excited. They know people that they care about who’ve experienced homelessness and they have a sense, even though they’re very young, because we live in a City that’s so unaffordable, of how easy that is to happen, and what that means, so, I’m sorry if I get a little emotional about it, but I just wish there were more programs like this, and I’m happy that it’s happening in my neighborhood.”
“What is the infrastructure that will be here,” asked Kansas Street resident, Tarry. “People who are experiencing being unhoused are going to have, conceivably, issues that need to be addressed and, or maybe their children. What kind of internal infrastructure at night, do they have people onsite who have psychiatric help, or other kinds of help they might need?”
“Once the families are in, we’re able to do the assessment and be able to determine what kind of supportive services they need, and refer them so they can receive those services,” Moran replied.
“I’ve lived here 26 years,” said Steve, who resides across from Downtown High School. “I can count the pieces of trash on one hand that I’ve seen from these kids. I’ve told them repeatedly to feel free to sit on the stoop, just clean up your trash, and they’ve always done it. The only thing I’d second that I’ve heard a lot of people say is, keep the communication. I think the less [communication], the more concerns are raised, but honestly, we’ve had zero problems with these kids, and I don’t anticipate more with families.”
“I teach at Downtown High School, and I’m also on a leadership team, and so we’ve been talking about this for a while, and I’ve also experienced homelessness as a child, and so I understand what these children can get from the program,” said Miriam, after the meeting. “Any way we can help is really important. Especially since Horace Mann is closing for three years.”
Danny Pham 
Jessica Zimmer 
Chaitanya Tondepu