More than 30 years ago, the norm for helping someone experiencing homelessness was to put them up in a small, furnished room — and hope for the best. That changed when nonprofit housing developers and homelessness advocates came together and formed Community Housing Partnership.
Now, we’re excited to announce that Community Housing Partnership has changed their name to HomeRise.
Community Housing Partnership was founded on a simple-yet-powerful idea: that a real home combined with support services — like health care, counseling and job training — could provide the stability a person needs to escape homelessness for good.
This idea, known as supportive housing, will continue to be at the heart of what we do as HomeRise.
Supportive housing has been the springboard for San Franciscans experiencing homelessness to stabilize and improve their lives. Like George, a talented singer who is ready to move out of supportive housing into an apartment of his own. And Molly, now a grandmother, who says, “I have a home. I have a life. I may not be rich, but I have a rich life.”
Together with our dedicated supporters and partners, we have helped thousands of San Franciscans overcome homelessness. Thousands of San Franciscans are no longer on the streets. Thousands of our neighbors have built a better life for themselves — and this city we all love.
But it hasn’t always been easy, especially these past few years. The changing economy coupled with competition for housing pushed more people onto the streets. More people felt like things were moving in the wrong direction. Then, the pandemic showed us how many more of our neighbors were already living on the brink.
News coverage called our city a failure. The human suffering became too much to bear. And San Francisco began to lose hope.
HomeRise is our antidote to lost hope. HomeRise is the power of a stable home to help a person rise up from their circumstances.
HomeRise is the resilience of our residents, who rise up after life has knocked them down, and rise up to advocate for laws that prevent homelessness.
HomeRise is when everyday San Franciscans rise up to play their part — volunteering their time, talking to their neighbors, making a donation of money or essential items — to make a difference.
If there’s one thing we’ve learned from our past 30 years, it’s that rising up and working together is where hope comes from. It’s why so many people who experienced homelessness now have a safe place to call home.
Thank you for your continued support, partnership and trust. Together, we can change lives and rebuild this city we love.