SRO Residents Can Call 311 For Help

Residents living in San Francisco’s single-room occupancy (SRO) buildings can call the city’s 311 line to report building and health problems.

Local residents have typically used the 311 customer service center to report potholes, graffiti, and other outdoor issues. Housing advocates and city workers recently teamed to expand the call center to assist SRO residents, who can use the number to report building safety and health issues.

“Issues like rodents, inadequate heat or water, and block fire exits are a reality for low-income residents,” said Josh Vining, a community organizer for the Mission SRO Collaborative, the advocacy group that led the community effort. “311 now gives people a way to report unhealthy or unsafe conditions and to follow-up on the solution.”

As far as he knows, no other city provides a similar service for SRO residents. Vining says there are about 530 SRO buildings in San Francisco, housing an estimated 18,000 residents.

The call center will minimize duplicative requests to agencies and direct complaints to the appropriate department.

Mayor Gavin Newsom formed the center in 2007, and it’s been a touchy topic with some members of the Board of Supervisors, who want to cut it to save money.