Community Engagement

When neighborhoods are empowered, residents have something to say about affordable housing, economic justice, youth empowerment and immigrant rights. Through our Community Engagement Department we amplify and support the voices of diverse residents in and around Bernal Heights, primarily serving San Francisco Districts 9 and 11. We do this through our signature, Resident Outreach Leadership and Safety Outreach Leaders program. Community champions from these programs address everything from tenant rights to bus stop shelter issues and much more.

We don’t do this work alone. We join forces with peer organizations developing grassroots leadership and other collaborative partners serving the community. They include Bernal merchants, District supervisors, SFPD, and countless advocacy groups, neighborhood coalitions, and language- or cultural-affinity organizations promoting health, justice, affirmative action, and the needs of youth.

Building Community

Community Events

Events offer “glue” for our community, as well as build ownership and engagement. As we emerge from the pandemic in 2021, BHNC can consider how to host popular neighborhood events safely. Pictured here was our annual Toy Drive, and BHNC’s Open House.

Public Safety - Community Engagement Committee

Safety has many faces. Food security, safe crosswalks, and hostility towards any demographic group are issues that concern us. At BHNC we build community as we meet the safety needs of the day. Through our Community Engagement Committee (CEC) that serves as an advisory board, we bring neighborhood issues to light. We use restorative justice practices to ensure all our community members feel safe and heard. The CEC is a key hub through which we initiate advocacy for broader scale at BHNC and with collaborative partners.

Covid-19 Response

Conduct periodic crisis need assessments at all 16 housing sites 

Partnered with coalitions who have identified the urgent need to support local day laborers and un-housed community members

Weekly preparation and distribution of groceries to 422 local households