Bridge Housing for Women and Children
San Francisco SafeHouse is excited to announce our newest program—Bridge Housing for Women and Children, scheduled to begin construction later this year!
This new program offers a unique combination of private, stand-alone apartments and onsite supportive services within a 23-unit building. Designed for women, some with minor children, Bridge Housing provides a safe, stable environment for survivors who may need more time and support than traditional two-year programs allow. With case-by-case flexibility, this model helps ensure that each resident has the time and resources needed to stabilize and prepare for permanent housing.
Every day, women face violence and trauma on the streets and in co-ed shelters, with limited options for safety and healing. Bridge Housing offers a critical pathway to independence, rooted in dignity, community, and care.
We are seeking support to bring this vision to life—and to offer women and their families not just shelter, but a chance to truly rebuild.
THE NEED
Over 90% of women* experiencing homelessness report severe physical abuse or sexual assault in coed shelters than in gender specific spaces. In San Francisco there are approximately 3,000 women living on the street or in shelters. Cis-gender and women-identifying individuals make up 31% of the total number of homeless, yet only 92 out of 23,500 units of permanent affordable housing and 101 out of 3,084 total shelter beds are dedicated to this population. Meaning, less than one percent of permanent affordable units and a little more than 3% of shelter beds are dedicated to the need for women-specific, safe spaces.
In the last 10 years, seven gender-specific organizations and programs in San Francisco have either shut down or transitioned to co-ed housing—not because the need for women’s housing disappeared, but because investment in women’s services fell short.
Today, with over 3,000 unhoused women in San Francisco and fewer than 100 long-term gender-specific housing units dedicated to their needs, SafeHouse is stepping in to help fill this critical gap. Our new Bridge Housing program offers more than just a roof—it provides stability, safety, and onsite support for women and their children as they work toward lasting independence.
This building will be more than a place to live. It will be a launchpad for healing, growth, and opportunity—with wraparound services including case management, job training, and access to education and community support. SafeHouse is not just offering women a chance to survive—we're investing in their power to thrive.
OUR VISION
In early 2024, San Francisco SafeHouse made a historic investment in gender-specific housing by purchasing a 21-unit building in the Hayes Valley neighborhood—establishing San Francisco’s first-ever Bridge Housing site exclusively for women and their children.
At a time when many gender-specific programs have disappeared, this milestone represents a bold commitment to meeting the unique needs of unhoused women and survivors in our city. The program is tailored to support those navigating disabilities, complex trauma, or other barriers that make immediate independent living difficult. With private apartments and onsite supportive services, residents will have the time, care, and stability needed to move forward at their own pace—with dignity and community every step of the way.
Our approach is grounded in the Housing First model, combined with best practices for serving survivors of gender-based violence. San Francisco SafeHouse will provide a safe housing environment along with a comprehensive array of supportive services aimed at helping women thrive, breaking the cycle of intergenerational homelessness and incarceration, enabling them to rebuild their lives, and create economic opportunity.
Our goal is to complete the acquisition and construction and be debt-free to be able to permanently provide the critically needed homes rooted in safety, security, and belonging for some of San Francisco's most vulnerable people.
