San Francisco Mayor London Breed is suggesting spending millions of dollars to eradicate homelessness among transgender and gender nonconforming individuals in the city.
“Transgender, non-binary, and gender nonconforming San Franciscans are eighteen times more likely to experience homelessness compared to the general population, and we know that the rates are even higher for our minority trans communities,” Breed said, according to a press release. “With one of the largest TGNC populations in the country, we not only must ensure that all San Franciscans have access to housing and essential resources through continued investments, but we can show the country that we continue to be a leader on supporting and protecting our trans communities.”
The press release from the mayor’s office indicates that there are approximately 400 homeless transgender and gender nonconforming residents at any point in time.
“The principle of ending trans homelessness by 2027 means that the existing trans homeless community would be stabilized and housed over the next five years, and any future trans people that become homeless would have the resources and support to get them housed quickly, making any instance of homelessness brief and rare,” the press release notes.
Breed’s two-year budget proposal calls for allocating millions to tackle the issue. The press release notes that she is proposing “$6 million over two years dedicated to fund short-term rental subsidies, flexible financial assistance, and support to build capacity among non-profit providers serving TGNC residents.” She is also calling for “$500,000 to fund behavioral health services for TGNC individuals experiencing homelessness or at-risk of homelessness, building on the $500,000 investment already supporting trans youth experiencing homelessness,” the release notes.
The mayor is also proposing “At least 150 long-term housing subsidies through the City’s Flexible Housing Subsidy Pool (FHSP) program” as well as “Acquisition and operations for a new Permanent Supportive Housing site for TGNC and LGBQ+ youth, with a focus on Transition Age Youth (TAY),” the release indicates.
“The plan to end trans homelessness will be a collaborative effort between the Mayor’s Office on Housing and Community Development (MOHCD), the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing (HSH), the Department of Public Health (DPH), the Office of Transgender Initiatives (OTI), and nonprofit organizations serving TGNC people experiencing homelessness or at-risk of homelessness,” the release notes. “This makes San Francisco the first city in the United States to commit to ending homelessness for TGNC people.”
* Article from: The Blaze
