About Us

Our Story

In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic exposed what many of us in direct service already knew: the safety nets we depended on were fraying fast. While a global health crisis raged, public investments in welfare programs continued to shrink. During that time, we lost too many women-serving organizations in the Bay Area, which had been lifelines for women without stable housing, women escaping violence, and women trying to rebuild.

We said, "Not a single one more."

That promise became the heartbeat of the Women’s Housing Coalition. We began with just three small but powerful organizations, and vowed we wouldn't shut our doors until every woman was off the street, living in safe, stable, and secure housing.

Today, we’ve grown to five times that size, a powerful network of over 15 organizations in different housing and service sectors committed to the same vision: safe housing opportunities for all women in San Francisco.

Why We Exist

On any given night in San Francisco, more than 3,000 women are experiencing homelessness, but we know the real number is even higher. The HSH Safe Housing Community Needs Report confirms what we see every day: women experiencing homelessness are undercounted, underserved, and often invisible within broader systems.

Homelessness among women (children) is also rising faster than it is for men. These women are aging on the streets, facing complex mental and physical health challenges, and living with an average life expectancy of just 48 years. Many are survivors of violence and trauma, and their gender-specific needs related to safety, aging, and healthcare are overlooked.

Women are often the anchors of families and communities. When we invest in their safety and stability, we don’t just transform individual lives, we strengthen entire families and help break the cycle of homelessness for future generations. We exist to center women in the response to homelessness and to ensure that no woman is left behind. We will not rest until every woman has that foundation.

Our Values

  • We are committed to cultivating an anti-oppressive, creative and collaborative culture that centers equity, respect, justice, and accountability.

  • We stand in solidarity with the most vulnerable among us and actively work to lift up the voices of unhoused women in our community. Our solidarity extends but is not limited to; older adults, immigrants, justice-involved individuals, and those with mental or physical health needs.

  • We practice anti-racism as a collective, recognizing the potential of every person to be a proactive agent of justice.

  • We acknowledge the experience of homelessness is inextricably linked to experiences of gender-based, interpersonal violence, exploitation and trafficking for women.

Leadership

  • Rebecca Jackson, Co-chair

    Rebecca Jackson is a powerful advocate who is deeply committed to fight for equity for women in San Francisco and beyond. In her current role as VP of Reentry and Public Affairs at Community Forward SF she oversees its Reentry programs and leads the organization's advocacy efforts at the city, state, and federal levels impacting budgets and driving policy change. Prior to her role at Community Forward, she was the Cameo House Director for the Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice. Her personal lived experiences and survival of domestic violence, racism, addiction, homelessness, and incarceration inform her work and fuel her desire to be a positive example and role model of change for others. Rebecca extends her advocacy and activism on women’s issues by being a voice and is the co-chair of the SF Women’s Housing Coalition, serves on the board at Hamilton Families and is a member of the SF Re-entry Council Women’s 1st Subcommittee, Treatment on Demand and SF Taxpayer’s Women’s Working Group.

  • Yves-Langston Barthaud, Co-chair

    Yves-Langston has worked as a community organizer for nearly a decade. He has created two non-profits that help local stakeholders receive services and goods in the San Francisco, Bay Area. He is the Chief Policy and Advocacy Officer for San Francisco SafeHouse, and has worked extensively in developing organizations and programs specific to the Tenderloin neighborhood and homelessness awareness.

  • Sammie Rayner, Co-chair Emeritus

    Sammie brings years of experience as an entrepreneur and leader focused on bringing innovation, human-centered design, and compassion to care for the most vulnerable individuals. Before joining Community Forward SF, Sammie co-founded and served as Chief Operating Officer at HandUp, a fundraising platform for human service nonprofits that scaled across the United States. Sammie’s initial passion for designing programs to alleviate poverty started in West Africa, where she co-founded and served as Executive Director for Lumana, a microfinance organization in Ghana. She frequently speaks at social good events such as TEDx and the National Nonprofit Technology conference. Sammie earned a bachelor’s degree in business entrepreneurship from the University of Washington. When not at work, Sammie spends time with her son, Rayner, loves being outdoors, teaching or practicing yoga, and bringing her community together around food. 

Our Member Organizations