On Friday, April 11, 2025, the Supportive Housing Provider Network (SHPN), in partnership with San Francisco Supervisor Bilal Mahmood, toured several permanent supportive housing sites across the city to underscore the vital role nonprofit housing providers play in addressing homelessness and fostering tight-knit communities.
During the visit to HomeRise’s Arnette Watson Apartments (AWA)—an 83-unit building home to families, including 30 children—Supervisor Mahmood met with HomeRise CEO Janea Jackson, Board Housing Committee Chair Heidy Braverman, Board Member and Resident Representative Juthaporn Chaloeicheep, and the dedicated AWA staff. This tour offered a glimpse into the “village” that has formed within AWA’s walls, where neighbors look out for one another, children grow and learn together, and families receive the wraparound support needed to thrive. It’s this sense of community that helps break the cycle of homelessness, providing a stable environment for children to blossom and families to rebuild their lives.
Permanent supportive housing has proven to be one of the most effective means to address chronic homelessness. Today’s tour reaffirmed the importance of investing in nonprofit partners who not only provide housing but also cultivate a nurturing environment and comprehensive services that help people regain independence and hope.
Guided by leaders from SHPN, the broader tour shed light on the essential staffing models, infrastructure, and compassionate care needed to operate permanent supportive housing successfully. They also emphasized the challenges providers face—from workforce shortages to underfunding—and called for greater support and policy alignment to scale these community-driven models citywide.
The Supportive Housing Provider Network is a coalition of nonprofit organizations committed to ending homelessness through the provision of safe housing, meaningful connections, and a network of supportive services.
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