Tenant Leadership Training - Jane's Story

After being homeless on the streets of San Francisco for three years and suffering from major depression, Jane came upon a flyer in her supportive housing residence lobby that would change her life. Trying to put her life back together, Jane decided to look into the Mental Health Association of San Francisco (MHA-SF) Tenant Leadership Training (TLT).

This seven-week leadership course "literally changed my outlook on life," she now says. "If I hadn't participated in the MHA-SF Tenant Leadership Training, I would probably still be fighting outside forces, being tossed around at sea, feeling like I had no control. Thank goodness this goes on, it taught me that I can stand up for myself and reach out to others."

In the TLT, Jane built a support system and became more aware of her own rights and educated about local policy issues. She has now given back to the group that helped her. Within MHA-SF, she joined the Consumer Housing Group (now called HWAA), our housing advocacy group for consumers committed to improving housing conditions for all mental health consumers; volunteered as a Tenant Advocate; spoke out at City Hall about the impact of budget cuts; and was hired to co-facilitate the next TLT series, leading a new group of training participants through the same journey she had taken. She has also evolved into an active and confident member of her community at large. Serving as a committee member for her local community court, she actively participated in various city policy groups addressing housing, mental health, and drug treatment services. Jane is now unafraid to take initiative and speak out when she and others are mistreated. Recently she accepted a full-time job as a sales representative.