Direct Access to Housing

Established by the San Francisco Department of Public Health – Housing and Urban Health Section (SFDPH-HUH) in 1998, Direct Access to Housing (DAH) is a permanent supportive housing program targeting low-income San Francisco residents who are homeless / at-risk of homelessness and have special needs. A “low threshold” program that accepts adults into permanent housing directly from the streets, shelters, hospitals and long-term care facilities, DAH strives to help tenants stabilize and improve their health outcomes despite co-occurring mental health issues, alcohol and substance abuse problems, and/or chronic medical conditions. Unique in its on-site provision of wrap-around support services, DAH currently houses close to 1,000 formerly homeless persons across 24 sites. By 2013, DAH will expand to house at least 650 additional tenants at seven new housing sites.