‘Flex Pool’ Program Matches Homeless San Franciscans to Vacant Flats – CBS San Francisco
SAN FRANCISCO (KPIX) – The number of vacant homes increased during the San Francisco pandemic. Now people affected by homelessness are being put into these empty units.
It’s called Flexible Housing Subidy Pool, launched in July and has already relocated 75 people like Donald Booth.
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“Sometimes I think I’ll wake up from this dream because it’s too good to be true,” Booth said.
For the first time in more than 50 years he has keys to his own apartment.
“I went from absolutely nothing to a bedroom with a room on Nob Hill,” Booth said.
“There is a golden opportunity in the market right now,” said Andrea Evans, campaign manager and senior planner for the Tipping Point Community.
Tipping Point is a non-profit that runs the program and helps identify property owners like Wayne Huey.
“For me, it’s trying to make one change, one person, one unit at a time,” said Huey.
As an early adopter of the program, Huey has helped accommodate “nearly 30, 40 people who are given a second chance.”
Renters have to pay 30% of their income. Tipping Point is funding the rest with funds from Brilliant Corners, another non-profit organization, so property owners can continue to receive market rents.
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“It’s pretty easy, and it’s guaranteed rent, so you know, from a landlord’s point of view, why not?” Said Evans.
It’s also faster than other remodeling programs because it involves existing rooms and private dollars.
“They interviewed me on Thursday and the following Monday I got a call and she said,” I found a match, “Booth said.
The flex pool also randomly distributes tenants across the city as units become available. The organizers say this adds to the success of the program as people with homelessness, like everyone else, prefer to have a choice of which neighborhood to live in. This model also avoids that every formerly homeless person is housed in the same building with strict rules.
“You can bring people into your home at any time of the day or night, which is often not the case in many residential support structures,” said Evans.
Booth was in jail until May 2019, when he was first released, he ended up on the street. He says without this program he would likely end up in prison again and at least be housed and fed in prison.
Now he lights up and talks about his Nob Hill house. It’s an opportunity he really wants to seize.
“You gave me a chance and I’ve proven myself. I haven’t even had the hiccups and man I don’t care what it takes. I’ll do fine, “said Booth.
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Tenants in the Flex Pool program will continue to receive funding from Brilliant Corners through 2022, at which point the city will take over the payments. Mayor Breed’s goal is to expand this program to 200 units within the year and to 2,000 units later.
