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HOUSING

A home is the bedrock to a strong foundation.

Ensuring All Our Neighbors Have a Safe Place to Call Home

Today, more than 33,000 people across the Bay Area are experiencing homelessness. But there’s an alternative where a home can be within reach for everyone.

Our Impact in Housing

3,668

people remained stably housed

one year after receiving preventative and/or housing support from grantees.

94%

of people surveyed

who were formerly at-risk of homelessness remained stably housed one year after receiving preventative services from grantees.

87%

of people surveyed

who were homeless remained stably housed one year after receiving housing support from grantees.

Housing Spotlight

Innovative Solutions to Promote Housing Stability

In the Bay Area, one in four renters have little to no confidence they can make their next month’s rent. Through its innovative shallow subsidy rental assistance program, Tipping Point grantee Bay Area Community Services (BACS) is helping families maintain housing stability. BACS is providing over 200 low-income households at-risk of experiencing homelessness in Oakland—where in some neighborhoods, rent has increased up to 90 percent—with 18 months of rental assistance, ranging from $500 to $800 per month. With Tipping Point’s support, UCSF is partnering with BACS for a long-term study to better understand the benefits of shallow subsidy programs as a tool to promote economic stability.

Our Housing Strategy

OUR GOAL

Preventing + Ending Homelessness

We take both a regional and local approach to equitably and significantly reduce homelessness. We help people in the most impacted communities get and stay housed for the long-term and prevent homelessness in the first place.

Our Work in Action

FIND + FUND

Solutions to Homelessness in the Heart of Silicon Valley

Tipping Point grantee, LifeMoves, is dedicated to finding solutions to homelessness in Silicon Valley. This past year, they opened LifeMoves Mountain View, 100 private units of supportive interim housing with services for families, couples, and individuals experiencing homelessness.

PARTNER + STRENGHTEN

Fundraising Muscle for the Future

Tipping Point grantee, Life Learning Academy, is the first public school in the country to provide housing for high school students facing homelessness. Tipping Point supported them in building out their fundraising strategy. Now, LLA has a dedicated staff member for donor + corporate relations which as led to an 87% increase in corporate contributions.

Investigate + Change

Policy Grantee Spotlight: Non-Profit Housing Association (NPH)

Tipping Point’s housing policy grantee, Non-Profit Housing Association (NPH), advocates for housing policy that create more deeply affordable housing to end homelessness. Last year, NPH successfully co-sponsored AB2011, a State bill that reduces barriers to build affordable housing.

Project investment

San Francisco Homelessness

We believe San Francisco can be a community where everyone has a safe place to call home. Built on the learnings from our Chronic Homelessness Initiative, our project to equitably and significantly reduce homelessness in San Francisco focuses on three key areas: homelessness prevention, key populations experiencing disproportionate rates of homelessness, and improved transparency and accountability.

Project Grantees

Compass Family Services

Mission Neighborhood Centers

Young Community Developers

PROJECT INVESTMENT

Youth Homelessness

In 2022, thanks to a generous investment from VISA Foundation, Tipping Point launched a $16 million, three-year project to address youth homelessness. The project will catalyze significant change in the systems that serve transition-aged youth who are currently homeless or experiencing housing instability by directing funds to the most impactful local service providers in Bay Area communities.

Project Grantees

3rd Street Youth Center and Clinic

Building Opportunities for Self-Sufficiency (BOSS)

Civicorps

Contra Costa County Health, Housing & Homeless (H3) Services

John Burton Advocates for Youth

Marin County Health and Human Services

Razing The Bar

Whole Person Care

Bill Wilson Center

Youth Employment Partnership

Grant Seekers

We are actively investing in multiple organizations through our San Francisco Homelessness and Youth Homelessness targeted project investments. We identify new portfolio grantees based on need, opportunity, and our knowledge of the housing and homeless services ecosystem in the Bay Area.

Our Team of Housing Experts

  • Nick
    Arevalo

    Capacity Building Director
    Read Nick Arevalo bio

    Nick Arevalo

    Capacity Building Director

    "I believe the difference between poverty and a brighter future is usually dependent on the existence of opportunity. I joined Tipping Point Community, because I’m dedicated to helping create more opportunities for individuals in the Bay Area."

    Prior to joining Tipping Point Community, Nick was an Orfalea Fellow at the William J. Clinton Foundation in Harlem, where he worked on domestic programs focused on entrepreneurship and helping individuals gain access to the financial mainstream. He earned his M.P.A. from the University of Southern California and his B.A. in Political Science from Sonoma State University. He has worked as an Analyst at Wildan Financial Services and a Project Coordinator at the Sonoma Economic Development Board. Born in El Salvador, his Latino heritage inspires his passion for life, dancing and spicy food.

  • Jenna
    Bolyarde

    San Francisco Homelessness Impact Manager
    Read Jenna Bolyarde bio

    Jenna Bolyarde

    San Francisco Homelessness Impact Manager

    Pronouns: she/her

    "I saw an opportunity to leverage creativity alongside funding to make lasting impacts on systems that serve our most vulnerable populations, the people who need system designers to remember that there are lives at the other end of the services being provided."

    For the last eight years I have worked in almost every component of the homelessness system.  Beginning by filling the seat of a person with lived experience on the Continuum of Care Board of Napa County, I moved into a site coordinator position at a homeless respite, and have held a direct service position as the program manager of both the services and housing aspects of Napa’s homelessness system. I do this work because I understand what it is like to attempt to navigate systems with no insight into how they work. I know what it’s like to forget that you have value simply by being a human. I do this work so that it might impact others who are disenfranchised and overlooked to help them remember their worth. I do this work because even one life changed can have far reaching ripples which have the potential to change the world. I graduated high school in 1999 and have researched and navigated many punitive systems in the US. I am currently working towards a BA in Sociology. A fun fact about me is that I’m slightly obsessed with Mesopotamian history and will likely be an archeologist in my next life.

  • Nina
    Catalano

    Senior Program Officer; San Francisco Homelessness
    Read Nina Catalano bio

    Nina Catalano

    Senior Program Officer; San Francisco Homelessness

    Pronouns: she/her

    "Change is possible if we take action that is rooted in love and support for each other, and bravely interrogate the effectiveness of our work. It starts with your heart and radiates out."

    Nina leads Tipping Point’s grantmaking and systems change efforts on homelessness in San Francisco, bringing a focus on equity and cross-sector collaboration. Before becoming the Senior Program Officer, she served as a Senior Planner with Tipping Point’s Chronic Homelessness Initiative, working with diverse partners to promote health and housing for all San Franciscans. Prior to joining Tipping Point, she worked with the Pew Charitable Trusts in Washington, D.C. on legislative reform to reduce the use of prison and jail in response to social and public health needs. She previously served as a public defender in Alameda County, where in addition to providing legal representation, she led a needs assessment of indigent clients and participated in a regional working group to address racial disparities in the justice system. She is a graduate of Harvard University and Harvard Law School. A Bay Area native, Nina loves learning about the region’s natural ecosystems and trying new styles of dance.

    "Change is possible if we take action that is rooted in love and support for each other, and bravely interrogate the effectiveness of our work. It starts with your heart and radiates out"

  • Justine
    González

    Capacity Building Manager
    Read Justine González bio

    Justine González

    Capacity Building Manager

    Pronouns: she/her/hers

    “'While the systemic conditions that create cycles of poverty in this country feel impossible and unwieldy, “we have to act as if it were possible to radically transform the world. And [we] have to do it all the time.' –Angela Davis. This reminder refreshes my resolve every day to do this work and I am proud to join Tipping Point in the pursuit of equity and radical love in the Bay Area.”

    Throughout her nonprofit career, Justine has worked with nonprofit direct service organizations and philanthropic networks to support community-based equity initiatives. This support provided needed services to marginalized communities in support of greater access to justice, economic security, joy, and prosperity.Justine has managed several community-based workforce development programs primarily in youth development organizations. She has also served as an independent consultant to nonprofits supporting program design, talent recruitment, event planning, and multi-stakeholder engagement projects since 2014.Justine earned her Master’s in Urban Policy and Management from the New School of Public Engagement and her Bachelor’s Degree from Smith College in Sociology & Spanish.Justine is a Nuyorican (a native New Yorker of Puerto Rican descent) who loves to travel the world sharing culture and building bonds with others.

  • James
    Hui

    Learning + Evaluation Manager
    Read James Hui bio

    James Hui

    Learning + Evaluation Manager

    Pronouns: he/him/his

    "Growing up in the Bay Area, I saw the barriers and challenges my peers and others have faced day-to-day, specifically homelessness and poverty. I am joining Tipping Point Community because I believe I am able to utilize my skills and knowledge in data analysis and evaluation to help end poverty in the Bay Area."

    James first got into the nonprofit sector after the 2014 midterm election. He remembers feeling helpless and a little bit lost thinking about what to do next in his career/life. He spent months soul-searching and thinking about how he could ultimately make a difference in his community. He made a decision later that year to dedicate his life to making an impact in his community through his work.James earned his Master’s in Public Administration in 2017 from New York University – Wagner. Prior to joining Tipping Point Community, he was the School Support Data Manager at the Urban Assembly. In this role, he supported the program team through evaluating the impact of their programs through analysis and Tableau dashboards.In his spare time, James enjoys going to Broadway shows, live music shows, and sporting events (Go Lakers and 49ers!).

  • Jake
    Leos-Urbel

    Learning & Evaluation Director
    Read Jake Leos-Urbel bio

    Jake Leos-Urbel

    Learning & Evaluation Director

    Pronouns: he/him

    “Everyone deserves the opportunities and support necessary to thrive. Tipping Point recognizes the deep connection between poverty, opportunity, and life outcomes, and the need for collaborative and systemic action to promote equity.”

    Jake’s work focuses on improving opportunities and outcomes for children, youth, and families through programs, policy, and research. Prior to joining Tipping Point, he was Associate Director at the John W. Gardner Center for Youth and Their Communities at Stanford University. In that role, he collaborated with Bay Area school districts and youth-serving organizations to build capacity to use data for decision-making, and analyzed effective strategies for promoting low-income students’ development and success. Jake has also worked as a public policy professor at Claremont Graduate University, Director of Policy Research and Analysis at The After-School Corporation (TASC) in New York City, and school and community development volunteer with the US Peace Corps in Namibia. He has received a B.A. from Oberlin College, an MPA from Princeton and a Ph.D from New York University. When not at work, Jake can be found urban hiking with his family, and generally trying to keep up with his two young daughters.

  • Julie
    Lo

    Sr. Director, Grantmaking + Capacity Building
    Read Julie Lo bio

    Julie Lo

    Sr. Director, Grantmaking + Capacity Building

    Pronouns: she/her

    “I'm grateful for the opportunity to join a community of people invested in both the idealism of pursuing an end to poverty in the Bay Area, and are also committed to the necessary actions to achieve it.”

    Julie joined Tipping Point because of her belief that the right continuum of person-centered, trauma-informed services to address multiple domains of a person’s life can disrupt the harmful impacts of poverty that too many people continue to grapple with. Most recently, Julie was the Executive Director of California’s Interagency Council on Homelessness, where she served as a policy advisor and led a statewide entity responsible for significant homelessness initiatives and funding programs. Prior, Julie worked for Bay Area nonprofits (including Larkin Street Youth Services!) and as a consultant specializing in planning and evaluation. Julie earned a Master of Public Affairs from the University of California, Berkeley, and received her B.A. from Holy Names University. Julie is an avid learner and always reads the appendices first when reading reports, because that’s where all the good stuff lives.

  • Hunter
    Meyer

    Program Operations Associate
    Read Hunter Meyer bio

    Hunter Meyer

    Program Operations Associate

    Pronouns: he/him/his

    “We must take care of the most vulnerable among us to thrive as a community. So long as we are content to allow the suffering of others, we will never achieve true prosperity.”

    Hunter Meyer is happiest when he’s helping people. He comes to Tipping Point from the food and events world, where he ran large-scale food truck events for Off the Grid. Originally from Maine, Hunter earned a B.A. in Economics from Bard College. Since moving to the Bay Area over a decade ago, he’s fallen in love with the region, and is committed to making it even better through his work at Tipping Point. Outside of the office, Hunter enjoys spending time in nature with his young daughter, wife, and dog, and he is always on the lookout for a great taco.

  • Ali
    Sutton

    Chief Program Officer
    Read Ali Sutton bio

    Ali Sutton

    Chief Program Officer

    Pronouns: she/her

    "I believe that to be truly compassionate, one must directly support their neighbors who are struggling with poverty and also work to change and improve the systems that have allowed that poverty to exist."

    Ali joined Tipping Point to more directly serve her community while also continuing to work on the critical system changes necessary to ensure meaningful reductions in poverty. Prior to joining Tipping Point, Ali served as the State of California’s Deputy Secretary for Homelessness where she oversaw the state’s interagency council on homelessness and several large state homelessness grant programs. Earlier in her career Ali served as a Senior Advisor for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, focusing on a range of anti-poverty programs within the Administration for Children and Families. Ali graduated with a Masters in Public Policy from the University of California – Berkeley, and received her B.A from the University of Iowa. When not working to alleviate poverty, Ali can be found hiking, backpacking or reading a good book…outdoors!

  • Lara
    Tannenbaum

    Senior Program Officer; Housing
    Read Lara Tannenbaum bio

    Lara Tannenbaum

    Senior Program Officer; Housing

    "Service is the rent we pay for the privilege of living on this earth." -Shirley Chisholm

    Lara comes to Tipping Point with extensive experience working to address and end homelessness in both the public and nonprofit sectors. Prior to joining Tipping Point she was the Manager of Community Homelessness Services for the City of Oakland, where she played a leadership role in the city’s homelessness policy direction and funding, and implementation of homelessness programs. Lara has also held leadership roles in local homeless services agencies, serving as the Director of Client Services for the Berkeley Food and Housing Project and as a Division Director for Larkin Street Youth Services, a Tipping Point grantee. She started her career as a homeless outreach worker in the South Bronx.  Lara received a BA from Brown University and an MSW from UC Berkeley.  In her free time, Lara likes to be outside hiking and camping, or in the kitchen cooking for friends and family.

  • Sam
    Tatum

    Program Assistant
    Read Sam Tatum bio

    Sam Tatum

    Program Assistant

    Pronouns: he/him

    “As long as poverty, injustice, and gross inequality exist in our world, none of us can truly rest.” — Nelson Mandela

    The fight to end poverty hits close to home for Sam. When he was 11 months old, his birth mother placed him on the steps of an orphanage in Vietnam and walked away. She simply could not afford to raise him. Sam was dealt an early lesson on the power of community — its capacity to open doors, to radically change lives, and to break the cycle of poverty. His origin has molded his self-concept and forged his desire to pursue a career that enables others to thrive no matter their background.Prior to Tipping Point, Sam helped bring books into the world in marketing and editorial roles at HarperCollins and Pearson. He attended The Paideia School in Atlanta, Georgia and Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois. In his spare time, Sam can be found running and training for upcoming races on the track and the roads around Lake Merritt and the East Bay.

  • Bing
    Wang

    Data Analytics Manager
    Read Bing Wang bio

    Bing Wang

    Data Analytics Manager

    Pronouns: she/her

    “Inequality and injustice are built into our systems and institutions. It is our duty to transform our systems until everyone, regardless of identity or background, has equal opportunity to thrive.”

    Bing is honored and humbled to be able to apply her research, business intelligence, and data analytics experience in support of Tipping Point’s empathetic and multi-faceted approach to fighting poverty. Prior to joining Tipping Point, she supported economic research and Cash Services strategy and operations as an analyst at the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco. Her passion for public service motivated her to pursue an M.S. in data science at the University of San Francisco, to better serve her community in an analytic capacity. During her master’s program, she interned at Human Rights Data Analysis Group, where she contributed to statistical analyses that enable accountability for human rights violations. Bing also holds a B.A. in economics from the University of Chicago. Bing is a proud first-generation Chinese-American immigrant and a Bostonian, and she enjoys running, exploring cities through food, and listening to pop punk.“Inequality and injustice are built into our systems and institutions. It is our duty to transform our systems until everyone, regardless of identity or background, has equal opportunity to thrive.”

Project Investment

Chronic Homelessness Initiative

Over five years, we invested $100 million to reduce chronic homelessness in San Francisco.