Save the Hoarding Behavior Program at the Mental Health Association of San Francisco

San Francisco Department of Aging and Adult Services (DAS)

We, the undersigned, urgently call on San Francisco Disability & Aging Services (DAS) to restore full funding to save the Hoarding Behavior Program at the Mental Health Association of San Francisco (MHASF). 


Since 1997, The Mental Health Association of San Francisco (MHASF) has been at the forefront of supporting individuals affected by hoarding behavior. Recognizing the unique challenges posed by hoarding, especially among older adults, MHASF offers a comprehensive, peer-led program. It is designed to provide assistance to those struggling with hoarding behaviors, their social work and housing professionals, and their family and friends.

The program is funded by San Francisco Disability & Aging Services (DAS). On June 3, 2025, DAS informed MHASF that their Support for Collecting Behaviors contract would receive an annual budget reduction of $75,000, a 21% decrease, each year for the next three years.

Hoarding disorder is a complex mental health condition, not a lifestyle choice. It affects 2% to 6% of the population or 16,000 to 49,000 SF residents and 789,000 to 2 million Californians. Without support, individuals often face eviction, homelessness, worsening health, social isolation, deteriorating family relationships, fire hazards, and sub-par living conditions such as vermin. This program not only uplifts individuals—it also reduces strain on emergency services, housing systems, and public health resources. We believe that it is fiscally responsible to continue to fund this non-profit organization because it provides early and late-stage interventions. There are only a handful of city departments that address this problem, and they only offer high-cost crisis management.

This one-of-a-kind program offers compassionate, judgment-free support from trained peers who have lived experience with hoarding disorder and a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. Through community trainings, group support meetings, one-to-one counseling family services, and resource navigation, participants find understanding, dignity, and practical tools to improve their quality of life. These services benefit not only those who are directly impacted by hoarding behavior, but by the public at large.

The proposed 21% funding cuts threaten to dismantle this life-changing program, leaving countless individuals and families without a safety net. Now is not the time to reduce a vital service that helps SF residents to retain their housing. Let’s stand together to protect an organization that brings hope, healing, and human connection to some of our most vulnerable community members.

Sign today to tell decision-makers: Our community needs this program—now more than ever.
Petition by
Serina Chung
Hoarding Behavior Program
Sponsored by
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Mental Health Association of San Francisco
San Francisco, CA

To: San Francisco Department of Aging and Adult Services (DAS)
From: [Your Name]

We are writing to urge you not to cut funding for this vital and one-of-a-kind program that provides peer and clinical support to individuals living with Hoarding Disorder.

Living with Hoarding Disorder can be a daily struggle that often goes unseen and misunderstood. It can jeopardize housing, worsen physical and mental health, and create deep emotional isolation. For years, many people with hoarding disorder have felt ashamed, afraid to ask for help, and unsure if recovery was even possible.

The Hoarding Behavior Program has been a life-line for many of its participants. It is the only program of its kind in San Francisco — and one of the very few worldwide — that offers peer-led, along with clinical support specifically aimed at this condition. The fact that it is peer-run is incredibly important: the people guiding participants through this process have lived through their own experiences. Their support is rooted in empathy, trust, and shared understanding, which traditional services often lack. Our trained peer-professionals demonstrate that change is possible because they have achieved recovery in their own journeys.

Since 1997, this program has helped people to make real progress — not only in managing the excessive number of items in their homes, but in rebuilding confidence and reconnection with others. It has given folks practical tools, emotional support, and, most of all, hope.

Budget cuts to this program would impact a critical support system for some of the most vulnerable older adults in our city. It would undo progress for many of those who are working hard to heal. There is no alternative program that fills this gap. Additionally, the potential consequences caused by this mental health condition affect not only the individuals and families who are directly involved, but it also impacts entire communities. Health and safety issues such as vermin and fire hazards can spread throughout a whole neighborhood and is not limited to just a single dwelling. Dismantling this program will also have a negative impact on the public health of SF residents in general.

We respectfully ask you to continue supporting the Hoarding Behavior Program in full capacity and ensure its future in San Francisco. It is a small investment with a profound impact — one that helps individuals, families, and our broader community.

Attached to this letter are the signatures of individuals who stand in support of this message. Each name represents someone who believes in the importance of this program and urges you to preserve its funding. Together, we are asking you to protect this vital resource for San Franciscans who need it most.

Thank you for your time, your service, and your consideration.