ABOUT US

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors established the San Francisco Housing Authority (SFHA) in 1938. The SFHA is the oldest housing authority in California and with approximately 3,200 local housing authorities across the nation, the SFHA is the 17th largest. The primary mission of the SFHA is to provide safe, sanitary, affordable, and decent housing to the very low-income families, senior citizens and persons with disabilities. The SFHA has grown to include 45 developments located in many and different San Francisco neighborhoods, with over 6,575 units of public housing serving the very low-income families, seniors and disabled residents of San Francisco. Since the 1974 inception of the Section 8 program, the number of low-income families whose rents are subsidized for privately owned housing has risen to approximately 7,000 with an additional 3,000 served through other federally funded programs.

Departments within the SFHA include the Executive Office, Public Housing Operations, Section 8 Voucher Program, Housing Development and Modernization, Finance, Information Technology, Office of the General Counsel and Human Resources. Much of the funding for Housing Authority programs is derived from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the rents paid by residents. Residents pay approximately 30% of their income for rent. For fiscal year 2002, the SFHA budget was $47 million for public housing operations, which must cover maintenance and management costs for all 6,575 housing units.

The SFHA provides job opportunities and job training to its residents through requirements in its construction and service contracts. Contractors must make every effort to employ residents. In this regard, SFHA contractors hired over 200 residents to modernize and rehabilitate our family and senior housing as well as to rebuild the HOPE VI sites at Hayes Valley, Bernal Dwellings and Plaza East. We successfully assisted 55 residents to enter union-sponsored apprentice programs as carpenters, plumbers and painters. In addition, 123 residents (25% of the workforce) are employed on the SFHA staff.