Jennifer Friedenbach

Jennifer is currently the Executive Director of the Coalition on Homelessness, San Francisco.  She has worked for the Coalition for 25 years, as Executive Director, as organizing director, substance abuse and mental health work group coordinator and fundraiser.  Previous to coming to San Francisco, Jennifer was Director of the Hunger and Homeless Action Coalition of San Mateo County. Ms. Friedenbach has a long history of community organizing, and has worked on a range of  poverty-related issues including welfare rights, housing, homeless prevention, health care, disability, and human and civil rights.  During her tenure, she has achieved significant victories alongside homeless people and community members including crafting, Prop C Our City Our Home a tax on corporations that pays for homeless housing and will double San Francisco’s efforts to address homelessness, the creation of a local housing subsidy serving hundreds of homeless families, the major expansion of prevention efforts resulting in the halting of displacement of more then a 1,000 households, expansion of substance abuse treatment resulting in decreased overdoses and shorter waits, spearheaded numerous legislative reforms protecting the rights of homeless people, and garnered public investments in programs that have saved countless lives.