How SF is shifting shelter focus from quantity to quality
Beth Stokes — executive director of the San Francisco-based shelter-and-services provider Episcopal Community Services — said she hopes at least some of those vouchers might be used to address another choke point in The City’s shelter and supportive-housing system.
Stokes told The Examiner that too often, the system — which generally prioritizes those with the highest needs, including those with medical or mental health challenges as well as those who have been on the street the longest — has neglected many relatively well-off people.
“Once we meet that person who comes into shelter, they might say, ‘Hey, I have a full time job. I’m making $1,500 a month,’” [ECS Executive Director Beth Stokes] said. “That’s a perfect person to get out of the system really quickly,” with even a modest amount of support such as, for example, an emergency housing voucher.