“I’m at GLIDE today, taking these classes,” said program participant Thomas Isacc. “They are going to help me pay my back rent.” Thomas is one of the 1,100 participants that received rental assistance at GLIDE’s Walk-In Center (WIC) over the last three years. This vital work prevented 500 evictions!

Funds distributed by GLIDE to 104 individuals in the 23-24 fiscal year enabled 12 households to move into new housing and 92 received support for back rent so they could remain in their housing. “Getting people rental assistance is so important.  It helps ensure that children do not have to move schools, and families do not have to move communities,” said GLIDE President and CEO, Dr. Gina Fromer. 

In addition to financial support, GLIDE provides drop-in problem solving for individuals seeking housing or in need of homelessness prevention support. Participants receive help resolving issues with landlords, educational classes to strengthen financial stability and one-on-one support from WIC staff.   

GLIDE’s wraparound services provide a pathway out of homelessness.   “Some people that were homeless before, maybe this could be their first house that they ever had,” said GLIDE Walk-In Center Case Manager, Angela Coleman.  

In the fiscal year 23-24 GLIDE distributed $250,000 in rental assistance from the Human Rights Commission for the Dream Keeper Initiative GLIDE (DKI). DKI funds come from an annual $60 million dollar investment into San Francisco’s diverse black communities.  

GLIDE is proud to partner with Mayor London Breed on these important efforts to redirect funds from law enforcement to ensure support for the African American community. 

A significant majority (75%) of the one-time rental assistance participants at GLIDE were African American households residing in historically under-invested neighborhoods. Most of the households resided in Tenderloin (38%) or Bayview Hunter’s Point (13%).  

GLIDE’s WIC helps individuals find housing and solve issues that might otherwise result in eviction.  Tenants who have fallen behind on rent, can work with WIC staff to obtain an agreement with their landlord and seek rental assistance through GLIDE, Seasons of Sharing, San Francisco’s Emergency Rental Assistance Program (SFERAP), the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing Problem Solving, or the Dream Keeper Initiative. 

“We want partners to invest in our strategy,” said Dr. Gina, who has worked tirelessly to garner public, private and corporate support for GLIDE’s efforts to end homelessness.   

 “Wells Fargo is proud to support GLIDE’s Rental Assistance Program” said Katy Fitzsimmons who is a Senior Lead Social Impact and Sustainability Specialist at Wells Fargo. “We helped to pilot that program a few years ago and it really speaks to Wells Fargo’s housing strategy, which is to keep people stably housed.” 

GLIDE’s rental assistance program has been a life raft for 104 families, helping participants to stabilize their housing and take tangible steps out of poverty. For example, 67% of those surveyed stated that the rental assistance helped them obtain new or better employment.  

Thank you to our Walk-In Center staff and funders.  Your continued support will help us continue this life-changing work. In the words of GLIDE Walk-In Center Manager, Eunice Feathers, “we help people keep their housing.”