Part of COVID-19 Data and Reports
COVID-19 in Single Room Occupancies (SROs)
The evidence is clear that pandemics exploit
the existing inequities in our society. Some communities are more affected
because of systemic racism, income insecurity, housing conditions, and
structural inequalities. This page focuses on the impacts of the pandemic on
residents of Single Room Occupancy (SRO) buildings. Residents in this type of housing
may be more vulnerable to COVID-19 as a result of their housing and the overlapping structural inequities and systemic racism
that are closely linked to housing. Ensuring the
health and safety of these COVID-vulnerable residents is the top priority for
the City.
Get Help
If you are a resident of an SRO with concerns about rent,
health, or safety, please reach out to the following organizations:
- Call Central City SRO Collaborative or La Voz Latina
at 415-775-7110 or 415-983-3970
- Call Chinatown SRO Collaborative or SRO Families
United Collaborative at 415-984-2730
- Call Mission SRO Collaborative at 415-282-6209 ext.
150
What is a Single Room
Occupancy building?
SRO buildings are defined by the San Francisco Housing Code
as having six or more "residential guest rooms" which may be
attached to shared bathrooms, kitchens, and living spaces. These shared spaces
may increase the risk of infection spread as residents who test positive may
not be able to self-isolate or quarantine effectively.
How is the City prioritizing these residents?
The City is committed to helping residents remain safe
during the pandemic by preventing the spread of COVID-19 in these higher-risk
buildings. One aspect of prevention includes ensuring the buildings are
adequately cleaned. To that end, the City provides SRO buildings with both
hard-to-acquire cleaning supplies and necessary health items such as face
masks, hand sanitizers, and toilet paper. The City also provides emergency
janitorial cleaning services for shared spaces to over 100 buildings for 14-day periods.
Additionally, the City hosts testing and education events at these buildings
for the residents.
To ensure residents receive adequate care and to limit the
further spread of the virus, the San Francisco Department of Public Health
(DPH) offers Isolation & Quarantine (I&Q) sites as part of the City's
COVID-19 alternative housing program. These sites provide temporary shelter and
medical care for suspected and confirmed COVID-positive patients who cannot
safely isolate or quarantine in their own households.
How does the City respond to suspected or positive cases in these buildings?
DPH follows a standard procedure each time a resident of an
SRO tests positive for COVID-19. These steps include notifying the
building manager there has been at least one positive case (while protecting
the patient’s privacy), providing educational and outreach materials, and
providing referrals to cleaning services. DPH conducts extensive interviews and
contact tracing with each individual testing positive and, depending on their
needs, may refer people to testing, to Isolation & Quarantine care, and to
resources like food delivery and cleaning supplies for those who can safely
isolate and quarantine at home.
Cases & Deaths in SROs
The dashboard below includes data about how the pandemic has
affected residents of SROs. Please note, not all
SRO residents who test positive for COVID-19 need to stay at an I&Q site,
as many are able to self-isolate or quarantine in their homes or in other ways.
In order to account for the time to process
tests and validate the data, cases and deaths data are lagged by seven days. As
more information is collected, case counts reported on previous days may
increase or decrease. All data will be updated as more information becomes
available. Learn more about this update process.
Data Notes
Individuals are initially identified as a resident of an SRO based on a process that matches the individual's address (provided at the time of COVID-19 testing) with a list of SROs in San Francisco. The details of a person's living arrangements are then verified during case interviews. The data on this page may be updated as a result of information gathered in those interviews.
The deaths shown here are suspected to be associated with COVID-19 or have COVID-19 listed as the cause of death. Deaths are reported by medical providers and the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.
In order to protect individuals’ privacy, the City does not
share information on any individual building or any individual. See our Privacy guidelines here.