San Francisco, CA - Today, the City of San Francisco and non-profit partners announced a plan to preserve a family shelter and provide ongoing funding to keep the shelter open and serving nearly 60 families at a time. Through an innovative partnership with the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing (HSH), the St. Anthony’s Foundation will acquire the Oasis Hotel for use as a long-term family shelter with ongoing support from HSH.
The Oasis Hotel at 900 Franklin St. has operated as a 59-room family shelter throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, but the owner moved to sell the property, putting at risk its ability to continue as a shelter. The City of San Francisco engaged with the property owner for months in the hopes of finding a solution to preserve this space. With this purchase, the St. Anthony Foundation is able to stabilize this property and make it a long-term part of the homelessness response system.
To fund continued operations of this shelter through Providence Foundation, HSH will introduce a grant agreement to the Board of Supervisors. Providence will operate the program and provide direct services to families experiencing homelessness in our community. Through this agreement HSH will fund operations, services, as well as lease costs and capital improvements so that the Oasis can continue to function as a family shelter for the next 9 years.
St. Anthony Foundation has been a beacon of consistency, companionship, and caring in the Tenderloin for more than 70 years. The organization provides their guests with a range of services—from a place to rest or take a shower, clothing, and addiction recovery, to meals, medical care, and workforce development. St. Anthony Foundation’s purchase of the Oasis enhances the services and long-term positive outcomes for the families who are temporarily residing at the Oasis by availing those guests to essential services, whole-person and health services offered by St. Anthony Foundation.
“This partnership between the City and our local nonprofits shows what we can accomplish when we work together to address homelessness by focusing on solutions,” said Mayor London Breed. “As we work to expand shelter and housing in San Francisco, this site will continue to be a safe place for our families struggling with homelessness. I want to thank City staff for working closely with St. Anthony’s to secure this property for the long-run, and for working with Providence to provide the services to care for those who need help right now.”
“The Oasis will continue to live up to its name by offering stabilizing housing, and more importantly hope, to families struggling with homelessness,” said Shireen McSpadden, executive director of the San Francisco Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing. “This is another shining demonstration of the solutions the city can develop in collaboration with our nonprofit partners.”
“This is a game-changer for our community’s most vulnerable families and St. Anthony’s,” said Nils Behnke, CEO of the St. Anthony Foundation. “We look forward to sustaining the Oasis Inn as a shelter for more than 300 women and children annually, for years to come. We are blessed to be able to provide a healing place of refuge for many families as they develop the skills and strength within to build stable, thriving lives. Providence’s shelter services coupled with St. Anthony’s long-term support services will improve the outcomes of the residents.”
“The Providence Foundation of San Francisco was conceived on the core value of GOD'S love for the vulnerable and unprotected individuals, especially mothers and children in San Francisco. As a pillar of the Bayview Hunters Point Community and the city, we aim to provide safe places and shelter to those deemed castaways. We understand that life happens to the best of us, and we need a helping hand without shame or judgment. Our purpose is to serve, to be a beacon of hope and light in the darkness and restore hope and dignity to each person we touch. By joining forces with St. Anthony's Foundation, we can significantly impact many lives in the Bay Area. We believe in collaboration. The power of like-minded value-driven organizations and love will transform the lives of those who have been forgotten,” said Patricia Doyle, Executive Director, Providence Foundation of San Francisco.
"The acquisition of the Oasis Family Shelter marks a significant milestone in our ongoing efforts to address homelessness in San Francisco. This collaboration showcases our commitment to providing essential services and support to families experiencing homelessness in our community,” said Supervisor Catharine Stefani. “This partnership ensures that the Oasis will continue to serve as a beacon of hope, compassion, and support for the women and families in our community,"
“Our office was proud to work with Providence Foundation to pilot the Oasis Inn as an emergency shelter for women and families during the pandemic,” said Supervisor Dean Preston. “When we learned last year that the property was up for sale, we worked with all stakeholders to find a path to preserve the Oasis as a permanent family shelter, and now, St. Anthony’s has stepped up in an incredible way to make this possible by acquiring the property. As a result, hundreds, if not thousands, of lives will be forever changed.”
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