OUR MISSION
North Beach Citizens utilizes the talents of the community to innovatively address the needs of its homeless and low-income citizens in an atmosphere of trust, integrity, and respect.
What We've Achieved
Since 2001, we have helped hundreds of our neighbors transition from homelessness to housing and from crisis to community. Our programs have provided food, housing, and medical assistance to the most vulnerable in our community.
Resource
Center
serves 595 homeless and low-income clients annually
Housing
Assistance
has a 90% success rate of placing and keeping people in housing
Community
Pantry
120,286 pounds of food distributed
Street
Beautification
4,500 bags of trash collected
Community Opportunity Reintegration Empowerment
The primary component of our CORE Program is to help our clients identify and access their strengths and resources both within themselves and within our community. This starts with a desire for change, a connection and an inherent sense of trust. Once an individual demonstrates a commitment to our program and a mutually-agreed upon plan, he or she is invited to utilize our case management services. Clients tell us their stories and share their unique and very specific circumstances. We then specialize in tailoring a very different path for each of our very different clients depending on their individual journey towards self-sufficiency. In the beginning, critical needs are addressed such as immediate health concerns or basic human needs. Our clients each have access to a mailing address, hygiene products, and phones.
We strive to help each client reach individualized benchmarks that are achievable for him or her on the journey towards stability. Depending on the individual, clients can receive assistance with benefits they are entitled, help from medical and financial organizations, access to stabilization housing when appropriate; and assistance with transportation to and from appointments. Clients are always treated in an atmosphere that promotes trust, guarantees integrity, and ensures respect. We believe that these three values lay the groundwork for all future progress.
The Street Beautification Program is an incentive-based volunteer program for our homeless and low-income clients. Participants are responsible for beautifying and maintaining the under-serviced streets and common areas of San Francisco’s North Beach neighborhood. North Beach Citizens can testify that when our clients work in the community, they take increased personal pride in the community. This program provides valuable life-skills training for North Beach Citizens’ clients while creating a sense of ownership and satisfaction, not to mention grooming and maintaining high-traffic areas such as Marini Plaza, Joe DiMaggio Playground, Washington Square Park, and North Beach Branch Public Library.
Our Partners
Emergency Interim Housing (One week to one month in duration) – Emergency Interim Housing in a Single Room Occupancy Hotel (SROs) is for clients who are experiencing an emergency hardship. Reserved for a client who experiences an emergency medical situation (pre-operation or post-operation) or for a client who requires emergency bridge housing from one permanent residence to another.
Transitional Housing (One month or more) – We are able to end homelessness for our clients by keeping them off the streets while they are in the process of securing housing and income benefits. This is transitional housing in a Single Room Occupancy Hotel (SROs) for clients who have a definitive housing opportunity and an income source within a foreseeable timeframe.
Nearly 68% of our clients will qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance benefits due to their disabilities, however, nearly 70% of initial claims are denied. The entire appeal process can stretch out for more than two years and perhaps as long as three years. Our Transitional Housing Program ensures that these disabled individuals do not have to live on the streets while awaiting benefits that they are entitled.
Eviction Prevention (One time) – The reality is that each one of us experiences hardships at times and many of us are just one check away from experiencing true homelessness. Preventing homelessness in the first place is the easiest way to reduce homelessness in the long run. With that in mind, we prevent evictions by providing one-time grants for rental arrears. Our clients or members of our community must demonstrate that they will be able to pay their rent going forward to receive this one-time help. This ensures that our assistance will solve the problem, rather than just postpone inevitable homelessness for a few months.
1 out of 3 people working today are one or two missed paychecks away from being homeless, especially the 37 million people currently living in poverty. (http://www.suitcaseclinic.org/homelessness-defined/)
Move-In Fund – Imagine you’ve just secured a housing opportunity for the first time, but are prevented from moving in because you cannot afford the first month’s rent and security deposit. Our move-in fund can make the difference between someone accepting a housing opportunity or remaining on the streets. With this fund, we provide critical items such as the first month’s rent and the security deposit.
In collaboration with the San Francisco Food Bank, our Community Food Pantry was established in October 2010. This partnership developed because both organizations were interested in opening a food pantry in North Beach to address the needs of formerly homeless, low-income, senior, and disabled residents living in single room occupancies (SROs). The goals of the Community Food Pantry are to stave off eviction for individuals by decreasing the amount of money needed for food and increasing the amount of money available for rent.
Through the pantry, individuals can easily access fresh fruits, non-perishable items and many products that do not require cooking facilities. The SRO menu is tailored specifically to the unique needs of this population of individuals who often do not have access to cooking facilities and includes a diversity of fresh produce and grocery items. With the weekly support of North Beach Citizens, pantry participants are less likely to face the difficult decision between purchasing food and paying rent, thus decreasing the probability of becoming homeless.
To access our services, individuals living in the participating SRO’s must bring a recent rental receipt and a valid form of identification. All participants must fill out a short introduction survey and are given a food pantry identification card to access our services on a weekly basis. Due to limited space, we are unable to accept clients who are not living in participating SRO's.
Click here for a list of food pantries in your area.
The participating SROs include:
Balmoral Hotel #2
Balmoral Hotel #3
Casa Melissa
Castro Hotel
Columbus Hotel
Entella Hotel
Europa Hotel
Golden Eagle Hotel
Hunan Hotel
Il Triangolo Hotel
Marconi Hotel
North Beach Hotel
Tower Hotel
Swiss American Hotel
Community Food Pantry Hours:
Wednesdays, 9:30 am - 10:30 am
Located in Nottingham Alley, and open to all those living in participating single room occupancies (SROs).