Housing Peer Counseling Program
In the Tenderloin and South of Market The Housing Peer Counseling program was created in 2009 to cater to tenants 
living in the Tenderloin and South of Market (SoMA) community. Residents of these neighborhoods could drop in and speak with a peer counselor regarding habitability issues tenants may have in their units or their building. The counselors work closely with C.C.S.R.O.C. and C.E.O.P. staff in following through and making sure repairs are done in a timely manner.
Habitability issues include and are not limited to: no heat, broken windows or doors, pest infestations, unsanitary common areas, garbage going out of control, peeling paint, mold, leaking pipes, etc…
Counselors would educate tenants in steps they should take in getting repairs and habitability issues remedied. Counselors would also advocate on behalf of the tenants to the best of their ability.
To see or speak with a Housing Peer Counselor, the drop-in hours are every Mondays through Thursdays from 10am – 12pm and 2 – 4 pm. There is no counseling on Fridays.
Address: 472 Ellis St.
Phone: (415) 775-7110 ext.107
Email: peercounselor@thclinic.org
Katherine Vaughn is a Peer Counselor and former Hotel Tenant Organizer in one of the THC’s largest buildings. As a Hotel Tenant Organizer, she was primarily motivated by concerns raised by residents in her building. To put it simply, she wanted to be in the loop, on top of things, and do her part to keep her neighbors safe. Reminiscing, she recalls that while her motto, to treat residents by who they are and not by how they got there, may have sprung from her time at the Hartland, she continues to carry it with her today as a Peer Counselor. Though Kathy was fortunate enough to move on to private housing, Kathy chose to stay with CCSROC because she believes it provides her the platform to advocate on behalf of residents and teach them to stand up, fight, and get what they deserve.
Susie Melkonian has overcome quite a few challenging times in her life. She admits that it took her too long to realize that the abuse she faced wasn’t her fault and she confesses that it took her too long to realize that there are ways to fight back. When she had it rough, nobody believed her: not her friends, not her mother, and not even her own brothers who she had always been close with. In her role as a Peer Counselor, she makes it her mission to help others and provide the support that she wished she had. In short, Sue strives to give the unheard a voice, empower them to stand up, and to fight for their rights. Reflecting on the harm reduction model foundation in public housing, Sue understands the dangers of residents being lumped together and disparaged as “drugs addicts or mentally ill” by management. In fact, she has experienced those allegations firsthand, but she firmly believes that what others say shouldn’t matter. “No one should be afraid to say anything or speak up.” Ultimately, Sue is motivated by three simple words, “faith over fear!”