Subsidy & Financial Benefits

San Francisco’s housing situation is difficult and expensive. Rent is high compared to other metropolitan areas or even within the San Francisco Bay Area. To get a general idea of current rental prices, you can check websites like Craigslist. Many of our clients either live with roommates, in single-room occupancy hotels or smalls studios.

All referrals for our rental assistance program come from Plus Housing, a program of the Mayor’s Office of Housing & Community Development. Get more information on the Plus Housing website.

San Francisco AIDS Foundation does not own or manage buildings to provide housing. Prospective subsidy participants are subsidized in their current unit, or are responsible for finding their own unit with the assistance of their assigned case manager. Once the unit is found, a housing inspector conducts an inspection to check federal safety and sanitary standards. Once the unit passes the inspection, we activate the subsidy and the subsidy checks are mailed directly to the landlord or property manager by the first of every month.

San Francisco AIDS Foundation is a third-party and assumes no responsibility with the lease or the unit. The lease or rental agreement is a contract between the landlord/property manager and the tenant. As long as the subsidy participant stays in the program, case managers will provide social support, advocacy or information and referrals.

To qualify for the Plus Housing, a program operated by the Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development, you must:

• Currently live in San Francisco
• Be living with HIV. Note: You do not need to be diagnosed with AIDS or have a disabling AIDS diagnosis.
• Have an annual household income that is less than 50% of the area median income ($40,350 for a 1-person household, and $46,150 for a 2-person household)
• Spend 50% of your income or more on rent, be living in transitional housing or be receiving a partial housing subsidy that does not cover your entire rent.

Get more information about the Plus Housing Program.

You can apply for the Plus Housing Program online. You will need to provide your contact information, your preferences for housing subsidies and units, and a few other details on the application. You’ll have to provide documentation to confirm your eligibility later in the process.

If you don’t have easy access to a computer or internet, you can fill out the online form at our main office in our services lobby. Ask to access a computer when you arrive in the services lobby.

Still have questions? Please email plushousing@sfgov.org. You can also email to find out approximately where you are on the list.

Here are some local housing resources that may help:

• Plus Housing (for low-income people living with HIV in San Francisco)
• Tenderloin Neighborhood Development Corporation
• Mayor’s Office of Housing 
• Open House (senior services)
• Housing Rights Committee
• Q Foundation
• San Francisco Housing Authority
• TODCO Group
• Catholic Charities (CYO)
• Eviction Defense Collaborative
• DAHLIA, Browse Affordable Housing Opportunities
• Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing

You are always welcome to stop by our main office to view housing opportunities posted on the bulletin board in our reception area.

Section 8 is a federal program that helps to bridge the gap between the cost of housing and the incomes of low wage earners and people on limited fixed incomes through site or portable rental assistance vouchers. In San Francisco, the program is managed by the San Francisco Housing Authority.

Unfortunately, the Section 8 Housing Wait List is closed. Call (415) 554-1205 or explore sfha.org for more information.

To access any HIV services, including emergency housing, you have to be a San Francisco resident and provide proof of residency. Any San Francisco service provider that has been providing you services for 30 days is able to generate a document that shows your proof of residency.

Lutheran Social Services manages the city’s Housing Stabilization Program that allows clients living with HIV to stay 28 days with the goal of transitioning into more stable housing. You need to be referred by specific HIV providers. To get a list of the referring agencies call:

Lutheran Social Services
Emergency Housing Coordinator
(415) 292-6325

ADAP is a state program that ensures people living with HIV gain access to HIV-related medications they otherwise could not afford. ADAP Enrollees may receive financial assistance with cost of medications, prescription copays and medical out-of-pocket costs.  Individuals enrolled in ADAP are also eligible for the Office of AIDS Health Insurance Premium Payment Program (OA-HIPP).  Participants receive assistance with premium costs for private insurance, Medicare Part D and Medigap insurance, or even employer-based insurance costs.

ADAP Eligibility Criteria:

• Resident of California
• Positive HIV or AIDS diagnosis
• At least 18 years of age
• Annual Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI) does not exceed 500% of poverty level. To give an idea of what that means: in 2019, a family of one (1) can earn between $17,236 to $62,450, and still qualify. That range increases as the family size increases.
  
• Not be eligible to be fully covered by Medi-Cal or other third party payers
• Prescription from a California medical provider

San Francisco residents can enroll in ADAP at different sites throughout the city and also at San Francisco AIDS Foundation. You can call (415) 487-8000 to speak to an SFAF counselor about your eligibility for ADAP or for assistance enrolling in the program. People outside of San Francisco can learn where to enroll with the online enrollment site locator or call 1-888-311-7632.

More information about ADAP and OA-HIPP can be found on the California Department of Public Health website.

SSDI, or Social Security Disability Insurance, is the Social Security retirement fund, which you may receive under age 65 if you are disabled.

SSI, or Supplemental Security Insurance, is a needs-based program for disabled people with little or no income.

To learn more about your eligibility for these programs or to discuss them with a benefits specialist, San Francisco residents can call us at 415-487-8000. People outside of San Francisco should call the Social Security Administration at 1-800-772-1213 or their local Social Security office for more information.

SDI, or State Disability Insurance, is a short-term benefit administered by the state of California for disabled people. SDI is intended for those whose disability is expected to last less than one year. SDI benefits are provided to workers who are unable to work due to an illness, injury, or pregnancy that is not covered by worker compensation law.

To apply, California residents can call the Employment Development Department (EDD) at 1-800-480-3287. San Francisco residents can call one of our benefits counselors at 415-487-8000 for more explanation and guidance, if needed.

The welfare reform act of 1996 eliminated Supplemental Security Income/State Supplementary Payment (SSI/SSP) eligibility for most non-citizens. However, the state-funded Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants (CAPI) provides monthly cash benefits to aged, blind, and disabled non-citizens who are ineligible for SSI/SSP solely due to their immigrant status. Please call 415-487-8000 to speak with one of our benefits counselors to learn more.

Medi-Cal is California’s Medicaid program and is a joint federal and state program that pays for a broad range of medical services for low-income people who qualify, including doctor/dentist visits, X-rays, lab tests, prescription drugs, eye care, chiropractic services, and hospitalizations.

To ask about your eligibility or to apply, California residents should call their local County Department of Public Social Services. San Francisco residents interested in Medi-Cal can call a San Francisco AIDS Foundation benefits specialist at 415-487-8000.

Medicare is a federal health benefits program for people who are entitled to Social Security retirement insurance and for people with long-term disabilities (those who have been eligible to receive SSDI for 24 months). If you are eligible, enrollment is automatic for a portion of the programs; however, for comprehensive coverage the beneficiary must elect which programs they would like to participate in.

Please call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) for specific information about eligibility and enrollment.

Our benefits counselors can directly assist you. Call 415-487-8000 to get in touch with one of our counselors.

They might also encourage you to contact PRC (formerly, Positive Resource Center), which specializes in disability law and advocacy for people with HIV and AIDS. PRC staff and attorneys can provide help with SSDI, SSI, long-term disability, and problems with health insurance policies. They can also provide representation before administrative law judges for reconsideration of disability denials. PRC can be reached at 415-777-0333 and prcsf.org.