A temp agency provides job placements for those that complete its job training
Working Nation, by Laura Aka
HomeRise, a San Francisco nonprofit that has been around for more than 30 years, helps secure housing for the homeless population and offers job training and temporary work placements with a goal of permanent employment. The last count of unhoused people in San Francisco tallied about 8,000 people.
Since the onset of the pandemic, more than 3,700 people have been served by the City of San Francisco’s Shelter-in-Place (SIP) hotels—launched in April of last year. When the SIP program ends, HomeRise will partner with the city to help remaining participants obtain permanent supportive housing.
CEO Rick Aubry says the ‘housing first’ model is critical. “It’s something that has been studied numerous times that’s proven to be the most effective intervention. It’s something that is somewhat counter-intuitive for lots of folks, because there is sort of a moral imperative in the United States where you have to earn it, before you get in.”
The 1,500 HomeRise units are a combination of acquired single room occupancy buildings and new construction. The units are home to 1,920 people including 300 children who live with one or two parents.
Rick Aubry, CEO at HomeRise (Photo: HomeRise)
Aubry continues, “If you provide people with the safety and security of a place to live and you let them then start organizing their lives, it’s proven much more likely that their lives will prove to be successful.”