Five Keys Home Free serves survivors of intimate partner violence who are reentering the community after long-term incarceration in California prisons. Many were convicted of charges that resulted from defending themselves from their batterers. The program provides housing navigation and case management to women while they are in prison. When appropriate, women released from prison move to Home Free’s transitional housing apartments on Treasure Island in San Francisco. There, they are supported in accessing specialized programming that fosters the pride, self-worth, and aspirations of each woman survivor as she takes her first steps back into society.

Services include assistance with practical life skills, job training and retention, permanent housing transition, guided reconnection with family, and participation in peer groups that support the development of healthy relationships.

Location: San Francisco, with housing navigation in Northern and Southern California

Contact: HomeFree@fivekeys.org

Five Keys’ housing programs address a variety of specialized needs and provide supportive services in a caring and dignified environment where residents are embraced as guests. Our Permanent Supportive Housing sites provide individual rooms with long-term leases and supportive services to households in which at least one member has a disability in achieving housing stability. Our Interim Housing shelters people, usually for between six months to two years, with support to help them find long-term housing and employment. These sites offer residents their own room and bathroom. Some sites offer medical respite care for medically fragile people. Our reentry housing provides compassionate support to women survivors of violence who were incarcerated for decades, often due to actions they took in self-defense. Our Congregate Housing provides meals, a safe place to sleep, activities and other supportives services to people in need of shelter as well as with support to help them find long-term housing and employment. All housing sites network closely with other service providers to address residents’ health, mental health, education, and career needs.

Five Keys’ highest priority is to provide clean, comfortable and welcoming homes to residents who range from their late teens to those who are elderly, who may be medically frail or have other disabilities. The vast majority of our housing staff have also experienced homelessness themselves, and are trained to offer understanding and support as residents move forward to meet their housing and life goals. Five Keys provides housing to approximately 800 individuals per night in partnership with local and state government.

Locations: Alameda and San Francisco counties.

Contact: info@FiveKeys.org; if you are seeking housing for yourself or someone else, placements are made through the county-coordinated entry systems, not through Five Keys. For Alameda County, call 211. For San Francisco, call 311.

Five Keys provides housing navigation and stabilization to transitional aged youth (ages 18-24) and adults who are experiencing homelessness. We support clients in locating permanent housing and in maintaining that housing through regular check-ins, problem-solving, accessing services, and providing career navigation services. This program is part of Rising Up, a public-private partnership led by the San Francisco Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing. Larkin Street Youth Services is the anchor non-profit institution, and Five Keys is among a consortium of service providers.

Location: San Francisco

Contact: info@FiveKeys.org