2025 Annual Report

Learn about Housing

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The Need:

For many veterans, even short gaps in income can quickly lead to housing loss.

1.
Veterans in the Bay struggle with housing instability
Nearly 4 in 10 veterans that accessed Swords’ services were homeless or at risk of it.
80% of those were unsheltered
2.
Low income is a critical issue
41% of veterans lived below the poverty line. That’s under $15,650 per year according to 2025 federal guidelines.
3.
The Housing Crisis is real
In one of the most expensive housing markets in the country, income disruptions are the leading pathway into homelessness.
job loss and eviction ranked
among the top three
reasons veterans reported
becoming homeless
With rents now averaging:
$2,977/month for a one-
bedroom in San Francisco
$2,385/month in Oakland
[
Our Housing Model
]
Housing is the foundation for health, recovery, and long-term stability.

Veterans living in our six permanent supportive housing sites have the opportunity to uplift their lives with access to resources that support paths to stability, wellness, and finding community. We also help veterans secure and maintain housing in the community through rental assistance and eviction prevention – deploying $7M+ in direct financial assistance this year, and are already underway to increase that to $9M in 2026.

We’re thrilled to announce the development of new supportive housing, creating another 185 affordable homes for veterans! By 2027, after renovations are complete, we will be opening two new housing sites: 629 Post St. and 1035 Van Ness Ave.

[
Our Housing Services
]
A veteran’s path to housing starts here.
01
A veteran comes to Swords

Our staff assesses each veteran's housing needs to understand their current situation, urgency, and risk factors.

1
02
Determine housing options

When enrolling a veteran in services, our next steps are based on whether they are unsheltered or sheltered.

If veteran is unsheltered
On availability and service area
2
03
If the Veteran is Unsheltered

We connect them to the permanent housing option that best fits their needs, including:

Independent housing placement
Permanent supportive housing
3
04
If the veteran is at risk of eviction

We provide rental and utilities back-pay assistance to help them remain housed.

4
Our Impact
$
4.18
Million

invested in rental assistance so veterans maintain their housing and prevent eviction.

We provided 11,325 nights
of emergency housing.
552

veterans stably housed in permanent supportive housing with onsite care.

388

veterans secured or maintained permanent housing through placement, rental assistance, and eviction prevention.

Stories of Impact

[
Veteran Stories
]

“Swords helped make my dream to live in the Bay a reality. We got everything we needed to make it feel like home.” 

Meet Erica, U.S. Army veteran

As a single mother, Erica made the decision to move herself and her two kids to the Bay Area from Kansas so they could live somewhere that reflected their values. When she was younger, she lived for a time in the East Bay with her grandmother and came to love the area’s diverse community and food.
However, her move back was rough – she was unable to find a stable home that welcomed her children, resulting in her family bouncing between motel rooms and her car. In late 2024, she connected with Swords, and we helped her into emergency housing right away. Erica and her family celebrated the start of 2025 housed in their own apartment in Emeryville.

Explore the 2025 Report

SECTION II
Meet the Veterans
Section IV
Learn about
‍Financial Stability

All Sections

Section I
Introduction
Section II
Client Demographics
Section III
Housing
Section IV
Financial Stability
Section V
Community & Wellness
Section VI
Advocacy
Featured ARTICLE
Where Housing Meets Advocacy
SECTION VII
Our Partners

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