First adult LGBTQ shelter in U.S., Jazzie's Place, to nearly triple in size

"The expansion, which concluded on Aug. 27, includes a dorm with 44 beds, three bathrooms and changing rooms, charging stations, and lock boxes. Work on the building began in February of this year and Mission Local took a first look at the new dorms and amenities a day after the finishing touches were put in place. The inner courtyard of Jazzie's Place is peaceful and warm. Trees shade tables and chairs, and brightly tiled murals decorate the walls."

"For its first decade, the shelter has provided its guests a safe place to sleep and a space where they feel safe identifying as queer. Preston, a 26-year-old staying at Jazzie's Place and a Mid-West native (he preferred not to specify where), said the shelter was the only one to take him in. "I've been to other shelters, and they denied me. They took one look at me and turned me away. But this," he said, waving at the front gate of Jazzie's Place, "is a sanctuary, a real sanctuary.""

Jazzie's Place opened in 2015 in the Mission District with 28 beds as a queer-only adult homeless shelter. After ten years, the shelter expanded to occupy most of the second floor at 1050 South Van Ness Ave, with the expansion concluding on Aug. 27. The new space includes a 44-bed dorm, three bathrooms, changing rooms, charging stations, and lock boxes. Work on the project began in February and the new dorms and amenities were finished in late August. The shelter offers a peaceful inner courtyard and provides safety for LGBTQ+ adults who face denial and abuse in other shelters.

Read at Mission Local