Swords to Plowshares

Residential Programs Unit

Swords to Plowshares’ residential programs provide homeless veterans with the stability and support they need to rebuild their lives. Swords to Plowshares offers transitional and permanent housing, regular meals, as well as intensive group and individual counseling. Since 1988, Swords to Plowshares has successfully housed and treated hundreds of homeless veterans. What started with 12 beds in a residential hotel for homeless veterans released from psychiatric and drug treatment programs at VA hospitals, has grown to serve 223 once-homeless veterans at any given time. These locations include two group homes in the Balboa District near City College of San Francisco, a two-year transitional housing facility on Treasure Island, and the Veterans Academy in the Presidio.

Among the 50 once-homeless veterans who completed our Transitional Supportive Housing Program at Treasure Island last year, 96% increased their income and 100% moved into housing (a condition for completing the program). The average stay was 11 months. At the Veterans Academy, San Francisco’s only permanent supportive housing program for homeless and disabled veterans, 71% have increased their incomes and 80 improved their skills through the Computer Learning Center.

Veterans Academy

Swords to Plowshares’ residential programs provide homeless veterans with the stability and support they need to rebuild their lives. Swords offers transitional and permanent housing, regular meals and intensive group and individual counseling. Since 1988 when we started with 12 beds in a residential hotel, Swords to Plowshares has successfully housed and treated hundreds of homeless veterans. These locations include two group homes in the Balboa District near City College of San Francisco, a two-year transitional housing facility on Treasure Island, and the Veterans Academy in the Presidio.
Among the 50 once-homeless veterans who completed our Transitional Supportive Housing Program at Treasure Island last year, 96% increased their income and 100% moved into housing (a condition for completing the program). The average stay was 11 months. At the Veterans Academy, San Francisco’s only permanent supportive housing program for homeless and disabled veterans, 71% have increased their incomes and 80 improved their skills through the Computer Learning Center.

Transitional Living Program

The Transitional Living Program—located at Treasure Island and the DeMontfort Avenue annex near City College—offers a service-enriched transitional housing program to assist male and female homeless veterans in obtaining the skills and stability necessary to break the cycle of homelessness and become self-supporting in the community. The program consists of phases that address the complex needs of the veterans, starting with Stabilization, then Treatment, Recovery and finally Re-Entry. The program offers intensive individual and group counseling, vet-to-vet peer counseling, volunteerism, education and vocational training, three hot meals daily, and a variety of recreational, cultural and community-building activities. The Veterans Administration is an on-site partner in providing clinical services. Additional special programming addresses the needs of veterans who have been homeless, chronically homeless, chronically mentally ill, and those defined as frail elderly. Upon graduation, veterans have gained skills in understanding and managing their mental health and/or addiction issues; they have acquired skills for independent living, secured housing, and many have reestablished ties with family members.