Inside the struggle to find housing in San Francisco
For 34-year-old Liberty Henegan and her five children, finding stable housing in San Francisco has been arduous.
High rent prices have forced them to live in a car due to difficulties in securing suitable accommodationm, and even shelter space is hard to come by.
"Rent is really, really high. Legally, we can't be in a two-bedroom apartment... If I put an application... they won't rent us because they won't put us in a two-bedroom, one, or a studio, so that's why we decided to just live in the car," Henegan said.
The situation grew more complex when Henegan became pregnant again, adding to the struggles of the family. They found refuge at Hamilton Families Shelter in August after facing multiple rejections from the city's housing system, primarily due to constraints related to the age and gender composition of her children.
"The City has been dramatically undercounting homeless families, so when it comes to allocating resources, homeless families in San Francisco have been getting the short shift," said Jennifer Friedenbach from the Coalition on Homelessness.
The report "Voices of the Unseen" delves deep into the unique challenges these families face daily in San Francisco.
Hamilton Shelter Program Director Kathy Marsala emphasized the critical need to offer aid to families, citing the lack of larger units in most shelters. To accommodate Liberty's family, they transformed a room, ensuring they could stay together despite the shelter's full capacity.
In this challenging time, Henegan and her children have found solace and protection at the shelter, receiving crucial support and understanding from the shelter community.
"They don't have to be here but they are, just to say, 'I got your back, Liberty, I'm here to support you'," Liberty said.