Outreach Initiatives

Our outreach team works closely with our Ambassadors and other staff members to identify and reach out to people who are experiencing homelessness. We have formed relationships with numerous community based organizations. We also work closely with City agencies including the Encampment Resolution Team (ERT), the SF Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing, the San Francisco Police Department, and the Department of Public Works. We believe that homelessness is an interdisciplinary problem and as such it requires an interdisciplinary marshaling of resources.

We also work directly with residents, property owners, and business managers and owners to resolve specific issues. Often, we can negotiate real-world workable solutions to the typical safety and sanitation issues presented by San Francisco’s seemingly intractable homeless problem.

Outreach Mission

Our street outreach team supports the Lower Polk community by:

1. Working as an intermediary between people experiencing homelessness and merchants and property owners,

2. Providing information on services, opportunities and programs which will help people gain access to housing, and

3. Building positive relationships with all community stakeholders including those experiencing homelessness and merchants/property owners.

Guiding Principles

• We shall demonstrate the utmost level of professionalism, courtesy, respect, and compassion for all people who reside in our community.

• We shall respect the basic human dignity of all persons who reside in our community.

• We shall respect the legal, civil, and property rights of all persons who reside in our community.

• We shall follow all relevant city, state, and federal laws.

Sample Tasks and Duties

• Engage visibly homeless individuals to identify possible needs that could put them on a path to housing. Individuals will be connected to available services offered by existing service providers – Daily

• Analyze engagements with persons in need of social services – Daily

• Work with San Francisco Police and service organizations to identify strategies to help individuals in need – Daily