The Sanctuary - San Francisco, California

Rahil Patel

If you’ve got General Assistance, this is your best bet. DO NOT go to MSC South. Once you get here, maybe you can call Crisis HOT team to place you in a shelter not listed by GA.

There is only one person that is conscious of the homeless’s reality and actually doing something: the white female caseworker. There used to be a guy sitting in the men’s dorm that was conscious too, mediating conflicts, checking for overdose, but somehow he got fired or moved. The rest are just there, doing whatever bureaucratic duties hidden within tiny offices. Though, by doing nothing, the staff here is much better than the folks at MSC South! These people actually work together at times, even if no one really gets along with the out-of-touch authoritative African boss.

The bathrooms will forever be full of drug-users, some nights with all of the stalls full. Drugs seem to be allowed in the bathrooms…

Food is meh. Luckily the location is good, with St. Anthony’s nearby, but, that means traversing the Tenderloin, and seeing and being reminded of the horrible state of the environment. The food store next door is expensive, taking the homeless’s food benefits. The inability to store food makes life difficult, unhealthy, and just wastes time and thought.

Closed windows, air conditioning, and close beds spread disease. People are allowed to cough and spit all around, without being disciplined. Diseases included flu and Covid, both of which spread to every tenant. I experienced the worst and only flu in my life there. If you ever go, you should check for Hepatitis, as that goes unchecked.

Prison lights from morning to night. You need a sleeping mask and sunglasses to protect your eyes from damage.

As far as I know, the caseworkers’ goal is to keep you there. Not housed. Not moving to another place or county. This is how they profit from you. Once a staff starts “writing-up” tenants for doing horrible or disrespectful things, the staff-member is in trouble, because they are losing the org money. So, they continue to keep the worst-behaving people, and continue the suffering of all tenants.

No one will help you find a house. No one will help you find a job. No one will help you escape. Unfortunately, it’s all up to you.

I personally escaped to Berkeley, was placed in a shelter a thousand times better in the first day, felt much much better in two weeks, having a fridge ‘n pantry to store milk and eat cereal, having the spaciousness and peace of suburbs, found a job (at the uni!), bought a scooter (have safe parking!), and moved on with life. Never did I feel as good in those horrid SF shelters.

The job market in SF is terrible: unequal, the city culture has a facade of equality marketed by government. Each area has its own insular group of people. Nobody gets along. Much of the businesses are owned by and employ people from areas beyond SF. For example, most of the employees of this shelter do not live in SF. The same goes for the properties in the Tenderloin, and, likely, the rest of SF. So, being local to SF has no advantage, despite its focus on local neighborhoods. You are competing with the entire Bay Area, which wants the higher minimum wage of SF, benefits, etc.

I recommend escaping this place. LA is a much much better place, especially for immigrants, Latinos, ‘n Asians. The Asians and Latinos here are struggling, living in SROs. SF is a cold cold place, inside and out. Food prices are insane. Landlords run the whole city. The Amtrak train goes all the way down to San Diego or up to Seattle(?). If not, maybe San Jose / Fremont would be a good bet.

Mystic Tarot

If this is your first time going to lean on the city for support during your homelessness, don't go to this shelter. Especially if you have endured any sorts of abuse or bullying in your life. You will be sickly reminded of your past traumas by the staff and clients who overstay at this facility. Namely a woman named Claire and Yvonne will be sure to tell you what's allowed... And those are 2 of the long term clients that ruin the welcoming vibe...

If you do stay here don't end up trying to do what I did and ask the staff for their support because you will be sadly disappointed when they blankly stare at you when you express concerns that are legitimate in your eyes.

They may even act as though you are bothering them or inconveniencing them. The staff members won't tell you their name paranoid they will get written up. The staff that is crooked looks out for me other crooked staff members. There are only a few gems on the staff (Will, Patricia Turner thank you both) that will make sure you feel cared for and that you feel safe at the shelter.

I only lasted barley 4 weeks here , then after being repetitively bullied by a specific client that had been staying at the shelter for years(Claire, Yvonne), and a few of her friends that were staying there as well, harassment from the staff members specifically, I won't mention names because there are too many to list.

I had to have the San Francisco crisis team meet me at the shelter and help me to be able to leave to seek safe Haven elsewhere. This was just ridiculous to deal with and I hope that no one else will have to suffer being the new girl or guy, LGBTQ person etc.

At Episcopal community services sanctuary homeless shelter. Their name does not even come close to describe what it is actually like to call the facility a home.

Don't leave any of your personal belongings out in plain sight or you will risk them being Stolen right from underneath your nose maybe even while you're sleeping in your bed. By other clients .

The staff members ruined it for me with their inability to show accountability for their own cruel ridgid bad attitudes especially when on the job. No client advocacy ..or encouraging group support meetings, meditation circles, nothing . Overnight staff can be found fast asleep at their desks.... sucking their thumbs.

The case workers are nice , I'll give them that .

Food was only breakfast and dinner. .... quality was ok ... mostly I didn't eat the food . Lasagna night was good . And sometimes the pancakes were alright .

If you don't mind being bullied on all sides then maybe the place .... not for me though. I endured enough bullying and abuse on my own during this homeless chapter of my life and life in general

. Call the SF crisis team they will help you I promise they are nicer than the staff members at sanctuary.

JOHN ALEXANDER MATSUI “THE YAMATSUII” GOD FOREVER KING

Edit 08/01/2024 I am indigent labeled for mistreatment and human disregard as well as disrespect for The Constitution of The United States guarantees the inalienable human rights to practice LIFE , LIBERTY , and the PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS. HUMBLE BEGINNINGS has the same effect on everyone SINCE Humility is a personal privilege providing the individual human in humanity experiencing civilization of this homogenizing one global society, in one shared opportunity, in one realization, in one ideology agreeable to translate the needs and representation of said homogenization we'll for now grit our teeth seethingly called stardardization, in the ongoing popular entreaty to measure personal norms through mediocrity, in a natural assumption to redline cost effectiveness, benefits analysis, and CONFLICTS OF INTERESTS WHICH OBVIOUSLY RISE UP WHEN STANDARDIZATION IS ABOUT SETTING BOTTOM LINE BENEFITS COSTLY TO A FINITE ECONOMICS SYSTEM ANTIQUATED BY SUPPLY/DEMAND "LAW" AND THE PHILOSOPHY OF ACCEPTABLE LOSSES AND ATTRITION (or the "law" of diminishing returns..only if you invest in value paradigms where everythings hurts in the end because we need more Time to meet our achievable destinies of satisfying the Universe's Creation TimeTable Outlining milestones where we have lived personally, socially, and SPIRITUALLY SOULFUL EVIDENCE OF MEMENTO MEMORABILIA & MEMORIES experiencing the satisfactory accumulation of belonging and belongings where we meet the criteria for performances or A LIFE WORTH LOVING AND LIFING I'd like to TradeMark and copyright in Registry _ LoveLife. It's not a novel idea or concept or usage of the coumpound word..kinda like the word UNIVERSE WHEN PAIRING WITH THE MONOTHEISM PERSONIFYING A HOLY HOST or WHOLELY ENTIRETY OF EVERYWHERE EVERYWHEN ANYTIME ANY REASON AND NEVER NOWHERE BUT ALWAYS NOW & HERE[may they all ways and all understandings and all wisdom of prudent use of intelligent progress amount to the UBER JUXTAPOSITION QUALITY OF SPIRITUAL AFFINITY, LOVE. I love; i am love; i am of love; and so are you..each and every lasting contemporary convention of ALL OF YOU ARE PART OF GOD'S ONGOING EXPERIMENT OF ASSIGNMENTS AND WELL PLANNING ARCHITECTURE BEYOND OUR WILDEST IMAGINATIONS AS WE GROW UP, RAISED ON NOTHING MORE THAN OUR ONLY NATURAL GRACE TO EMBODY CALLED GRATITUDE, THANKFULNESS, APPRECIATION into the far reaches of ad infinituum and burrowing and borrowing the fractal composition of values which never reach Zero but are less than One..half-life radiation figures below the measurement of a single geigercounter chirp of one static-like sounding interruption of radiowaves carrying the harmonics of an eerie monotone speaker output for sonic representation of the energy as. tone.forever)Though I have since failed to retrieve my scissors because the contraband pointed sharp were only kept as my property for 90 days. BUT AFTER 90 DAYS, ONE BY ONE, ALL 3 OF MY HIGH END SCISSOR became fleeing issuers.

On my final morning, Mekke, delegated my protesting self using the security guard who fondly and plaintiffly became defendant to the Site Manager's hasty charge of my trying to incite mob violence and cultural sensitivity trasngressions.
I have since won my mysterious arbitration case with an explanation by our Arbitrator, that he failed to prove I meant violence threat but a threat to take him to shelter review board. I found the meaning to my homelessness to be an extension of bankrupted ideologies held by the gentrified younger professionals (whom by any estimation could have been served Vacate Now Papers priming for a Denial Of Services.
I would like make note of my new SRO Room 400 Midori needs no bed checks or bed tucks at this time unless I invite you specifically.
But before I go, Who or what organization came and delivered these then sky eclipsing "wet" blankets? My continued use is my gratitude and my personal statement as my gratuity paying utility and thanks to wonderful people who should run spiritual shelters in vacant up to codicies where emergency shanti offer La Posada an ADU bed spreadsheet..aah_

R H

If you have no place to stay, this beats the street. Two meals a day. Safe. Clean.

Robert Crim

I go to this place weekly. My therapist has an office there and we have our sessions there.

About the facility as far as its run I cannot say about the food or there's nothing I can speak about about that facility except that the doorstep is reasonably fair and do a great job the place seems to be clean and from what I've seen the the few people that resided there that I spoke with seem to have their head on straight. There's nothing else I can say about the sanctuary accept that...

But if the lady that does my therapy is any kind
of example of what type of person is under that building as far as counselors and therapists and so on and so forth then they are in great hands. Without her there would be no advancement in my life I do not think she seems to believe I can do it and with her I can but I give her most of the credit because before her there was none are as the Latin say sequin non please overlook the the southern spelling and grammar because the true credit she go to her she saw us she's been helping that she's been leading the way she's been blazing she is the reason why I have Nikola

She's the reason why I'm dealing with the VA right now she'd support behind me seeing the doctor and care providers I have she is the force behind it everything that is happening in my life she's do the pushing it pulling it dodging it moving it but she is so important to our success and if that's the kind of people they have their everybody who needs therapy should get one but leave me alone I need her time.

These pictures are some of her work without her this doesn't happen

Meka Weston

The supervisors can have better respect for the resident for instance, Claudia it’s very rude Brain patient is very short. And a lot of the monitors have issues with monitoring the floor. But overall the site manager really try to make sure that the site is ran properly and respectfully and a lot of the residents There are very rude.

Not Sure

This place is a blessing! It has connected me with some beautiful men, women, and the local community! The staff here are amazing, and I am proud to call it my home! I feel safe and supported as I transition into a new stage in my life. Having somewhat of a set schedule allows me to create action plans, set goals, get regular sleep, and even have time for self-care/reading/meditating/yoga/art therapy….I am so grateful for this place!

Q

There is a lot this center can work on but it was the best San Francisco has to offer for women in need