Housing Assistance Resources
There are many resources that can assist in finding housing in the San Francisco Bay Area. Below are several web sites, newspapers, and other resources that provide housing ads and listings.These links are only provided as guides and suggestions to secure housing. San Mateo Colleges of Silicon Valley cannot guarantee quality or safety of housing provided on this website.
Work with a Cañada Financial Coach
A Cañada College financial coach can support you in financing your housing needs. Contact them for a personalized appointment at CanSparkPoint@smccd.edu or call 650-381-3550.
COVID Rent Relief
Homeless Help Desk
Food and other basic necessities available for homeless individuals and/or families. Provided by St. Vincent de Paul Redwood City Homeless Conference. Monday-Friday, 1:15pm-2:15pm. (650)780-7500
Emergency Short-term Housing
LifeMoves is dedicated to providing interim housing and supportive services that create opportunities for homeless families, individuals and veterans to rapidly return to stable housing and long-term self-sufficiency.
SAVE's mission is to strengthen every individual and family we serve with the knowledge and support needed to break the cycle of violence and build healthier lives. SAVE’s 30-bed shelter offers a safe place for women and children fleeing abuse. Residents can stay up to 90 days.
Low-Income Housing
Mid-Pen Housing mission is to provide safe, affordable housing of high quality to those in need and to establish stability and opportunities in the lives of our residents.
Public Service Aid
Project Sentinel provides fair housing counseling and advocacy for South San Francisco residents. Project Sentinel’s work includes providing fair housing education, enforcement, and dispute resolution in cases of housing discrimination. Additional services include community education and information on mortgage default and delinquency.
Housing Equality Law Project (HELP) is a nonprofit fair housing agency with offices currently in San Francisco and South San Francisco. HELP serves clients across the Bay Area and beyond providing fair housing and landlord-tenant counseling, consulting, investigation, and advocacy services. Services are free of charge to all tenants and housing seekers and most are also free to landlords and housing providers.
The Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County's HomeSavers Project helps tenants who are having problems with their landlords. They offer legal counseling, advice and representation in the following areas: evictions, disputes over the condition of the premises, illegal acts by landlords.
Student Housing Programs
Human Investment Project (HIP) Housing's mission is to invest in human potential by improving the lives of people with special needs (income or difficult life circumstances) to live independently in safe and low-cost homes
International Student Placement, LLC provides International Students with an intimate look at American culture and exposure to the English language.
Housing Tools
The College Housing Survival Guide helps equip students and their families with the knowledge necessary to make an informed decision on where to live during college.
Student's Guide to College Housing provides students a comprehensive view on housing, including information for first-time renters.
To avoid roommate conflicts and/ or miscommunications based off assumptions, we encourage students to create roommate agreements to ensure that all parties are on the same page.
News Sources
The San Mateo County Times focuses primarily on San Mateo County and is a good resource for those looking for housing on the Peninsula and in the East Bay
The San Mateo Daily News is the other daily paper in San Mateo, and is part of the group that also publishes daily newspapers in Palo Alto, Redwood City, Burlingame, and Los Gatos