The Californer - San Francisco: Mayor London Breed and Adult Probation Department Announce the Launch of New Transitional Housing Space

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San Francisco, CA — Mayor London N. Breed and Acting Chief of Adult Probation Sharon Jackson today announced expanded opportunities for justice-involved adults through the launch of a 30-bed center in partnership with Tenderloin Housing Clinic and Westside Community Services. The Billie Holiday Center (BHC) is a culturally responsive, transitional living space that is designed to provide a rapid connection to next-step resources to justice-involved adults experiencing homelessness, including those being released from the San Francisco County Jail.

The BHC is located at 93 6th Street in the South of Market neighborhood and began taking in clients in late December. The BHC will help provide placements as part of the City's Tenderloin Emergency Initiative, which is a multi-department effort to create a safer and healthier Tenderloin neighborhood with more effective connections to services for housed and unhoused residents, reduced crime and sidewalk hazards, and increased investments in long-term neighborhood coordination between City and non-City agencies.

"We must continue to implement different solutions to provide housing and services to those in need, including those who have been a part of our criminal justice system and need help getting a fresh start," said Mayor Breed. "Resources like the Billie Holiday Center will help us meet our goals of providing safe spaces for people to get off of the street and connect to resources as they rebuild their lives."

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Over the past five years, the Reentry Division of the Adult Probation Department has led City-wide efforts to expand shelter, housing, and treatment services for a wide array of justice-involved adults, including people on probation, parole, federal probation, and those released from jail pretrial. The launch of this program embodies requests and input from the community.

"The people on our streets need help and housing, and the Billie Holiday Center provides both for people who have been involved with our justice system to give them the support they need to prevent recidivism," said Supervisor Matt Haney.

"The work that our Reentry Division does in partnership with our community partners is a testament to our commitment to helping justice involved people make positive sustainable changes in their lives," said Critsel Tullock, Acting Chief Deputy Adult Probation Officer of the San Francisco Adult Probation Department.

The Billie Holiday Center will be operated by both Westside Community Services, which will conduct intakes and offer case management and services, and Tenderloin Housing Clinic, which will support the front desk, manage the facility, and provide a housing specialist to link people with permanent housing. The name of the program was created by Westside Community Services, in recognition of the legendary singer's personal struggles with addiction.

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"Westside Community Services is excited about the launch of the Billie Holiday Center," said Dr. Mary Ann Jones, Executive Director of Westside Community Services. "Together we will address the urgent needs of the unhoused through culturally responsive support and access to critical resources."

"For the last six years THC in collaboration with Adult Probation has been providing and connecting hundreds of clients to housing and reentry services," said Richard Beal, Director of Transitional Housing at the Tenderloin Housing Clinic. "We are excited and looking forward to working with Westside Clinic and APD at the Billie Holiday Reentry Navigation Center continuing to provide housing and reentry services to the justice involved community."

These beds contribute to the Mayor's Homelessness Recovery Plan goal to add 6,000 new placements. In addition to reactivating and strengthening the shelter system, the Plan commits to creating 1,500 new permanent, supportive housing units and expanding short- and medium-term rental subsidies, representing the greatest investment in permanent housing in 20 years. More on Mayor Breed's Homelessness Recovery Plan can be found here: sf.gov/data/homelessness-recovery-plan.

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