Financial & Policy Analysis for Sustaining and Stabilizing Single Room Occupancy (SRO) Hotels |[...]

Full‑Time Financial & Policy Analysis for Sustaining and Stabilizing Single Room Occupancy (SRO) Hotels | FUSE Executive Fellowship Fellowship Dates: October 26, 2026 – October 20, 2028 Salary This project is part of a collaboration between FUSE and Coro California in service to the City and County of San Francisco. The selected candidate will be hired as a FUSE Executive Fellow and will also have the opportunity to enroll in the Coro San Francisco Executive Fellows Experience, which provides additional networking, training, and leadership development designed to strengthen project impact. The fellow will receive FUSE employment benefits and an annual salary of $95,000 from FUSE. Fellows who choose to participate in the Coro experience will receive a separate annual stipend of $70,000 from Coro. Participation in the Coro experience is optional. If participating in the Coro experience, the combined annual compensation would total $165,000 before taxes.

ABOUT THE FUSE EXECUTIVE FELLOWSHIP

FUSE is a national nonprofit dedicated to increasing the capacity of local governments to work more effectively for communities. We embed private sector executives in city and county agencies to lead projects that improve public services and accelerate systems change. Since 2012, FUSE has led over 400 projects in 58 governments across 26 states, impacting a total population equivalent to 1 in 10 Americans. When designing each fellowship project, FUSE works closely with government partners and community stakeholders to define a scope of work that will achieve substantive progress toward high-priority local needs. Projects address today’s most pressing challenges and opportunities, including affordable housing, economic mobility, climate resilience, public safety, infrastructure, technology, and more. FUSE conducts a full executive search for each individual project to ensure that the selected candidate has at least 15 years of professional experience, the required competencies for the role, and deep connections to the community being served. Executive Fellows are embedded in government agencies working with senior leaders for at least one year of full‑time work. Prospective responsibilities may include thorough data analytics and research, developing enhanced operations and financial models, building change management and strategic planning processes, and/or building broad coalitions to support project implementation efforts. Executive Fellows are data‑driven and results‑oriented and able to effectively manage complex projects. They build strong relationships with a broad array of stakeholders, foster alignment within and across various layers of government, and build partnerships between governments and communities. Throughout the fellowships, Executive Fellows receive training, coaching, and professional support to help achieve their project goals.

PROJECT BACKGROUND

Since San Francisco’s founding years, people have moved to the City in search of economic opportunity. Whether they were drawn by the shipyard, the railroads, or the gold rush, these early arrivals included a large number of single workers who frequently sought temporary lodging in boarding houses—living in a single room while sharing kitchens, bathrooms, and other amenities. As a result, San Francisco, like many older US cities, has a continued legacy of what are now known as Single‑Room Occupancy hotels (SRO) hotels. At their height, SROs once housed up to 10% of residents in many fast growing cities in the United States. Starting in the mid‑20th century, various cities saw the widespread demolition of “blighted” SRO buildings without providing replacement affordable housing, directly contributing to an increase in homelessness. In response, San Francisco adopted the Hotel Conversion Ordinance (HCO) in 1981, signaling a shift toward preserving these units as a critical part of the housing ecosystem that provide an affordable and accessible option, particularly for residents who have been unable to access other affordable housing options. Today, the City of San Francisco estimates that there are approximately 20,000 SRO units remaining in 500 buildings scattered across several neighborhoods. They are owned by both nonprofit and private entities, and a significant number of buildings receive public funding to provide affordable housing and services to residents. In recent years, many have experienced higher costs, deferred maintenance, and higher vacancy rates, leading some operators to leave the market and putting the SRO ecosystem at risk. The City seeks to protect housing for low‑income tenants while ensuring the operators make critical updates and generate the revenue necessary to stay in operation. San Francisco has recently completed numerous assessments to understand issues affecting SROs, their operators, and their residents. A departing policy fellow has developed a comprehensive analysis and dataset on SRO building typologies, ownership structures, and vacancy rates. In addition, the Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development recently commissioned a report on families living in SROs, and the Tenderloin Neighborhood Development Corporation recently completed a grant to assess the costs and feasibility of several SRO rehabilitation approaches. The City is also reviewing city codes affecting SROs to identify items that are out of date or detrimental to the longevity of these units. These projects will give the City more granular insight on this housing segment’s trends, needs, and opportunities. Equipped with this information, San Francisco Planning needs a data‑informed framework for how to preserve, modernize, and improve this housing segment. The FUSE Executive Fellow will support San Francisco Planning by developing a financial analysis of SRO housing operators and a legislative framework that can catalyze sustainable improvements to these buildings.

PROJECT APPROACH

The first 90 days of the Fellowship will focus on in‑depth discovery and relationship‑building. Beginning in October 2026, the FUSE Executive Fellow will develop deep relationships with a broad range of stakeholders, including City partners (e.g., Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development, Department of Building Inspection, Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing), SRO operators (including nonprofit, and private owners), and community members (with an emphasis on SRO residents). The Executive Fellow should anticipate extensive collaboration with the outgoing policy fellow (funded by the Partnership for the Bay’s Future) to ensure effective knowledge transfer and handover of any ongoing responsibilities. In addition, the Executive Fellow will review existing legislation (e.g., the Hotel Conversion Ordinance) and common policies and best practices for updating and preserving SROs in cities similar to San Francisco. This discovery phase is intended to help the Executive Fellow develop a nuanced understanding of San Francisco’s SRO landscape, current challenges, and opportunities. Based on insights gathered, the Executive Fellow will develop and present proposed refinements to project goals, priorities, and anticipated deliverables for review and approval by San Francisco Planning and the Executive Sponsor. Next, the Executive Fellow will conduct extensive financial analysis of SRO operations and capital upgrade needs—providing the City with a clear, actionable foundation for decision‑making. Building on the recently completed data analyses and reports, the Executive Fellow will implement capital assessments of physical improvements that would be needed to sustain and upgrade SRO buildings, which may vary by ownership structures (e.g., for‑vs. nonprofit), physical structures (e.g., large vs. small), and other building characteristics (age, location, layout, etc.). In addition, they will develop pro‑forma analyses to understand how such improvements could be financed and maintained, aiming to enhance livability while ensuring ongoing financial sustainability. By mapping building repair needs, income streams, operational and maintenance costs, and key financial constraints, the City will gain a clearer understanding of SRO conditions, the impact of potential policy changes, and the trade‑offs among different approaches. The Executive Fellow will also analyze and identify the resources or policy interventions needed to enable such upgrades, recognizing that solutions must be feasible in a constrained funding environment. This could include draft legislation or a broader policy roadmap, depending on the scope of recommended changes. The goal is to define a clear policy direction and implementable actions that support the long‑term sustainability of SROs and their ability to meet the needs of current and future generations. By the end of the fellowship, the Executive Fellow will deliver actionable insights to help the City preserve and modernize the SRO model. Deliverables will also include a framework or tool to update the data as conditions evolve. In addition to completing these discrete tasks, the Executive Fellow will also work closely with San Francisco Planning staff to ensure knowledge transfer and handover of any remaining responsibilities prior to departure. This scope reflects Year One priorities, and the fellow and City will collaborate during the fellowship to define the scope and focus for Year Two based on progress and emerging opportunities.

EXPECTED DELIVERABLES

By October 2027, the Executive Fellow will have overseen the following: Capital Improvement Assessments – In partnership with community organizations and/or technical consultants, conduct targeted assessments of a representative set of SRO buildings. These assessments will identify priority capital improvements to improve building livability and performance, along with clear cost estimates and implementation timelines. Financial Analysis – Develop pro‑forma analyses to evaluate how legislation and policy changes would impact financial sustainability for operators and the affordability of units for tenants, including their funding streams, major capital costs, and ongoing maintenance expenses. The analysis will include sensitivity analysis of renovation options (e.g., elevator upgrades vs. maintaining walk‑up units, single room layouts vs. studios conversions). Legislation & Policy Framework – Provide strategic guidance on policy and regulatory changes – including potential changes to City codes – and develop legislation that can enable needed upgrades to SROs while preventing tenant displacement. SRO Data System – Develop a user‑friendly system to track and update key data on SRO buildings, including typology, funding streams, major capital needs, vacancies, and ongoing maintenance expenses – equipping the City with a reliable, living dataset to inform policies and investments going forward.

KEY STAKEHOLDERS

Executive Sponsor – Sarah Dennis‑Phillips, Planning Director, San Francisco Planning Project Supervisor – Rachael Tanner, Community Planning Director, San Francisco Planning

QUALIFICATIONS

15+ years of progressively responsible experience in organizational transformation and change management, from practitioner to enterprise‑level leadership. Synthesizes complex information into clear and concise recommendations and action‑oriented implementation plans. Develops and effectively implements both strategic and operational project management plans. Generates innovative, data‑driven, and result‑oriented solutions to complex challenges. Responds quickly to changing ideas, responsibilities, expectations, trends, strategies, and other processes. Communicates effectively verbally and in writing and excels in active listening and conversing. Fosters collaboration across multiple constituencies to support more effective decision‑making. Establishes and maintains strong relationships with diverse stakeholders, both inside and outside of government, particularly community‑based relationships. Embraces differing viewpoints and implements strategies to find common ground. Demonstrates confidence and professional diplomacy while effectively interacting with individuals at all levels of various organizations. FUSE is an equal opportunity employer. We encourage candidates from all backgrounds to apply for this position. #J-18808-Ljbffr FUSE Corps