The Coalition on Homelessness is a left-of-center homelessness advocacy group based in San Francisco that opposes what it calls the “criminalization of homelessness” and supports increased government funding for homelessness remediation.  ¹

Background and History

The Coalition on Homelessness is a left-of-center homelessness advocacy group founded in 1987. The group has advocated federal housing subsidies and providing hotel vouchers for the homeless, and campaigns against what it calls the “criminalization of homelessness.”  ¹  The Coalition has proposed a “crisis intervention model” for police to mitigate use of force when dealing with “psychiatric crisis” and opposed the use of tasers and pepper spray by law enforcement when responding to incidents involving homeless individuals. ¹

In its earlier years, the group provided housing for the homeless, engaged in due-process advocacy for shelter residents, created transitional housing for women, and countered San Francisco’s “Matrix” program to ensure quality of life, helping dismiss thousands of tickets. The Coalition also drafted legislation to provide mental illness care for uninsured people and encouraged funding for on-demand substance abuse treatment. ¹

Beginning in 2000, the group took on a more political role, opposing budget cuts for aid programs, advocating higher shelter standards, and lobbying for legislation to give surplus city property to the homeless. The Coalition has advocated housing subsidies, gathered funding for tenants’ counsel, and prevented the completion of a new jail. ¹

The Coalition encourages “housed allies” to push for homeless access to bathrooms, hotels, and permanent housing. ^{2  3}

The group has attributed San Francisco’s homelessness issues to the disappearance of “naturally occurring low-income housing” and a lack of public funding towards housing. ³

Stop the Revolving Door

In 2020, the Coalition on Homelessness drafted its policy plan, “Stop the Revolving Door,” that laid out the group’s primary legislative suggestions. ⁴

The report included a section on alleged transgender homelessness issues, noting that the Coalition is “centering the voices of transgender women of color and immigrants.” The report advocated for “gender affirming care” for transgender homeless people, stating that “homeless service programs must recruit and prioritize hiring of transgender applicants who have experienced homelessness.” Additionally, the group proposed creating publicly funded “trans-specific” shelters, where the staff would also be composed of transgender individuals. The plan stated that this effort to highlight transgender homelessness was necessary due to policies from the Trump administration that “endanger transgender and immigrant communities in particular.” ⁴

The plan also advocated for increased regulation of landlords by removing “nonpayment of rent as a reason to evict,” requiring “just cause” for eviction, and increasing rent control. ⁴

The plan recommended opening public housing to those with criminal records and prohibiting “criminal history inquiries during the housing application process,” giving increased access to individuals with criminal records. Additionally, the plan recommending ceasing “the suspension of driver’s licenses for failure to appear in traffic court” and creating safe consumption sites in shelters.  ⁴

The Coalition has voiced support for an amendment to the California constitution that would outline a “Fundamental Human Right to Housing.” The group also recommends ensuring government benefits for people until “they are solidly, demonstrably no longer in need of them,” but does not specify the criteria.  ⁴

The group continues to push for less use of force by police officers and social workers when dealing with the homeless, advocating against property confiscation, ticketing “for housing status offenses,” and towing vehicles being used as residences. ⁴

Activities

As of 2026, the Coalition on Homelessness maintained two teams that met regularly to pursue “housing justice” and human rights. ⁵ The “housing justice” team focused on advocating for subsidies, “pushing the Housing Authority to turn its vacant units over to homeless folks,” and stopping “mean-spirited proposals” from legislators. ⁶ The human rights team opposed local measures to remove the homeless like citations, park closures, and parking bans. ⁷

The Coalition publishes “Street Sheet,” a newspaper focused on homelessness issues. ⁸

In 2025, the Coalition on Homelessness reached a settlement over a three-year case against the City of San Francisco, Coalition on Homelessness v. City and County of San Francisco. ⁹ The original lawsuit, filed by the Coalition, the American Civil Liberties Union, and homeless plaintiffs, claimed that “encampment sweeps were unconstitutional” and argued that property seizure violated the Fourth, Eighth, and Fourteenth Amendments. However, after the case City of Grants Pass v. Johnson resulted in a Supreme Court ruling “that cities could enforce anti-camping laws,” the Coalition on Homelessness’s case was “narrowed” and the city returned to sweeping camps.  ¹⁰

The ultimate settlement in 2025 included $2.8 million for attorney’s fees and $22,000 for the two plaintiffs. In addition, there were some minor concessions such as a requirement for “the Department of Public Works to take additional photos when responding to encampments.”  ⁹

Financials

In 2024, the Coalition on Homelessness reported total revenue of $1,120,784 and received no government grants. The group received $1,000,735 in contributions and grants, and reported total expenses of $1,146,217 and total assets of $1,663,649. ¹¹

The group is partnered with the Western Regional Advocacy Project and the San Francisco Anti-Displacement Coalition.  ¹²

 Leadership

As of 2026, Jennifer Freidenbach was the executive director at the Coalition on Homelessness. ¹³ Freidenbach was paid $61,981 in 2024.  ¹¹ Before joining the coalition in 1995, Freidenbach worked for the Hunger and Homeless Action Coalition of San Mateo County. ¹⁴

1. “Accomplishments.” Coalition on Homelessness. Accessed February 22, 2026. https://www.cohsf.org/who-we-are/mission-history/.
2. “Get Involved.” Coalition on Homelessness. Accessed February 22, 2026. https://www.cohsf.org/get-involved/.
3. “How to Be an Ally to People Experiencing Homelessness.” Coalition on Homelessness, n.d. https://www.cohsf.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/How_to_be_an_ally_to_people_experiencing_homelessness_2025.pdf
4. “Stop the Revolving Door.” Coalition on Homelessness, September 2020. https://www.cohsf.org/stop-the-revolving-door/#policy-recommendations5.
5. “Workgroups.” Coalition on Homelessness. Accessed February 22, 2026. https://www.cohsf.org/what-we-do/workgroups/.
6. “Housing Justice.” Coalition on Homelessness. Accessed February 22, 2026. https://www.cohsf.org/what-we-do/workgroups/housing-justice/.
7. “Human Rights.” Coalition on Homelessness. Accessed February 22, 2026. https://www.cohsf.org/what-we-do/workgroups/human-rights/.
8. “Street Sheet.” Street Sheet. Accessed February 22, 2026. https://www.streetsheet.org/.
9. “San Francisco finalizes settlement in homeless encampment lawsuit.” City Attorney of San Francisco, September 19, 2025. https://sfcityattorney.org/san-francisco-finalizes-settlement-in-homeless-encampment-lawsuit/.
10. Barmann, Jay. “Lengthy Court Proceeding over Homeless Encampment Sweeps in SF Ends with $2.8m Settlement.” SFist, July 23, 2025. https://sfist.com/2025/07/23/lengthy-court-proceeding-over-homeless-encampment-sweeps-in-sf-ends-with-2-8m-settlement/.
11. “Coalition on Homelessness, Full Filing – Nonprofit Explorer.” ProPublica. Accessed February 22, 2026. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/943111898/202533079349303088/full.
12. “Learn More.” Coalition on Homelessness. Accessed February 22, 2026. https://www.cohsf.org/what-we-do/resources/.
13. “Our Team.” Coalition on Homelessness. Accessed February 26, 2026. https://www.cohsf.org/our-team/.
14. “Jennifer Friedenbach.” LinkedIn. Accessed February 22, 2026. https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-friedenbach-209b8927.