P.O.W.E.R. Lunch with the Former Homeless

According to mayor Gavin Newsom's annual homeless count, roughly 6,500 people are living without reliable shelter this year in San Francisco. Homeless advocates say the figure is actually double that. Even though the city offers a wide variety of services and resources, finding a way out of homelessness can be difficult. First, there are waiting rooms, lists, and lines to deal with that can make a person feel more like a number than a human being. Then, there are the looming struggles after you're off the street; shelters can be dirty and/or violent; SROs can feel isolating and unsustainable. One group in San Francisco provides an alternative, creating a supportive new community for the citys homeless. KALW's Ali Budner reports. Note: Some of the names in the following story have been changed due to protectional privacy rules from the San Francisco Department of Public Health.