Spotlight on Jazzie's Place

Several San Francisco churches are offering winter shelter to people in the city who are homeless, but they are only for men.

Michael Pappas, the gay executive director of the San Francisco Interfaith Council, one of the city's partners on the program, said that when it started in 1988, "that was the greatest need," and "it's difficult" for churches "to host folks of different genders."

"There's never been an ask to change it," said Pappas, and that's how the program will remain next year. He said that Episcopal Community Services, another program partner, does offer shelters for women. An Episcopal Community Services spokeswoman didn't respond to a request for comment.

Yesenia Lacayo, the program director for Jazzie's Place, a shelter designed to be welcoming for LGBTQs, said that people who want to get into that shelter need to get on a waitlist through Mission Neighborhood Resource Center.