Amid the ongoing homelessness crisis in San Francisco, families often find themselves lost in the shuffle, living in shelters that many do not see.
Sydney Johnson, a reporter for KQED, investigates the unique struggles faced by these families, shedding light on cases like that of Maritza Salinas, a mother of three who is navigating the tumultuous shelter system.
Originally from El Salvador, Maritza moved to the Bay Area at 19 and settled in San Francisco.
Now, living with her children, Matthew, six, and Renee, four, in a family shelter, Maritza is balancing the challenges of single motherhood with the harsh realities of homelessness.
A typical day for her starts early, often before others in the shared community kitchen rise.
Maritza recounts, “We get up daily, shower first thing, prayer, and we make food.”
However, the road that led her to the shelter was fraught with difficulty.
After leaving an abusive relationship in 2022, Maritza found herself without a permanent home, a situation experienced by many mothers and families seeking shelter in San Francisco.
Maritza has moved between various shelters, including those tailored for domestic violence survivors.
Though she expresses gratitude towards the staff and the camaraderie her children have with other kids in the shelter, the constant transitions have made it difficult for her to create a stable environment.
With each shelter stay limited by time constraints, the anxiety surrounding her family’s future looms large.
Maritza states, “I have two extensions with Harbor House, which that comes to six months.
When those six months end, that’s the question, right? Where are we going to go?”
In December, the city implemented a new rule that families could only stay in shelters for 90 days, with the option to apply for an extension.
This decision prompted backlash from families like Maritza’s, who felt punished for a system that is failing to provide a swift pathway to permanent housing.
Johnson highlights the plight of families who then find themselves “chasing application after application,” awaiting rapid rehousing vouchers or other forms of permanent housing.
Maritza has not only lived in shelters, but has also faced periods of staying in cars and with family members, creating additional stress and uncertainty for her children.
In response to community outcry, the city announced changes allowing families to stay in shelters for 90 days before needing to apply for an extension, reducing the frequency of this stressful process.
Maritza describes the shift as a welcome reprieve but acknowledges that it is not a permanent solution.
“This is a new thing for me, and I’m just gonna follow through,” she remarks, indicating her cautious optimism.
Despite the extension changes, Maritza is still acutely aware that her immediate goal is finding a permanent home for her children.
Currently, she is on the waitlist for an apartment and has applied for housing vouchers, but the uncertainty remains daunting.
“It will be nice for people to understand that we are humans, and it’s not that we want to be there,” she emphasizes, highlighting the importance of compassion in a system that often overlooks families like hers.
The statistics surrounding exits from shelters paint a grim picture.
As reported earlier this year, only about 21% of families in shelters find their way to permanent housing, which leaves many others either returning to previous accommodations or slipping through the cracks of the system entirely.
The persistent lack of affordable housing in San Francisco amplifies these challenges, with reports indicating that families often cannot find sustainable housing within their financial means.
Christin Evans from the city’s Homeless Oversight Board notes that limited funding resources for rapid rehousing and supportive placements contribute to the issue.
She states, “When people come into shelter, they’re seeking assistance to secure stable housing.
They don’t want to remain in the shelter.
They actually want to exit to a permanent housing situation.”
Multiple systemic factors are at play, including the need for preventative measures to support families facing eviction.
As Johnson observed, Maritza’s situation illustrates the critical need for understanding and supportive mechanisms that could prevent homelessness in the first place.
“There are people living on razor-thin margins,” explains Evans, emphasizing the necessity for affordable housing solutions tailored for families, particularly those with multiple children.
As Johnson navigates the complexities of this topic, she underscores that while the city has prioritized addressing street homelessness, families with deep-rooted problems persist in the shadows, needing attention and support.
Critically, many families like Maritza’s are also impacted by the city’s housing policy decisions.
While plans to open 1,000 new shelter beds are underway, the challenges remain vast, with a frequent lack of suitable housing options contributing to high turnover and instability in the system.
The combination of restrictive measures and insufficient resources makes it difficult for many families to escape the cycle of homelessness effectively, reinforcing the perception that vulnerable populations are being left behind in a simplistic rush to address more visible forms of homelessness.
Johnson’s report ultimately reinforces the idea that a more nuanced approach is needed when dealing with homelessness, particularly for families, who face an uphill battle not just in securing shelter but in achieving housing security in a challenging economic landscape.
image source from：kqed
