Mission Action, Inc.

Mission Action (formerly known as Dolores Street Community Services) has steadily served San Francisco for over 40 years by providing essential services such as emergency shelter, supportive housing, food distribution, tenant advocacy, and immigration legal aid. Working with marginalized populations, we strengthen leadership development, advocacy, and organizing efforts to drive systemic change across housing, immigrant, and workers’ rights.

From its early onset back in 1982, the organization was committed to responding to the most urgent community needs. At that time, the city of San Francisco had become a destination for refugees fleeing war and famine in Central America, leading to a housing crisis. The Mayor of San Francisco, Dianne Feinstein, asked the city’s churches to open their doors, and Dolores Street Baptist Church was the first to answer the call.

A shelter began operating within the basement of the church, and it provided meals and a place to sleep for refugees in need. It became the first program of Mission Action and what is now known as the Dolores Shelter Program. Over the next 10 years, the shelter continued to serve as the primary provider of shelter to the low-income, Latinx community of San Francisco. In 1993, the church burned down, and the program relocated. Today, the program resides in a church on South Van Ness Avenue and remains an essential resource for the unhoused community in San Francisco's Mission district. In 2015, the program launched Jazzie’s Place--the first shelter space in the nation specifically designed for transgender people experiencing homelessness.

Over the years, Mission Action has expanded significantly and always in response to community needs. In the mid-1990’s, HIV/AIDS presented a new housing crisis, as many people were being diagnosed with AIDS, losing their housing, and in need of end-of-life care. The organization opened the Richard M. Cohen Residence in 1995, which was an old Victorian cottage that became a place where people living with HIV/AIDS could live out their last days in peace. With advancements in treatment and prevention, the program has since evolved into a transitional housing program that empowers low-income people living with HIV to transition to independent living, ensuring they have the care, resources, and support to do so.

In the early 2000’s, the immigrant community began to experience a surge in ICE activities and deportations. As an organization rooted in immigration justice, Mission Action expanded its work and formally entered the community organizing space. Under the leadership of Eric Quezada, Mission Action created the San Francisco Immigrant Legal and Education Network (SFILEN), a collaborative of local community providers offering outreach, education, and free or low-cost services to immigrants. In 2008, Mission Action launched its own legal program, focused specifically on providing free legal services for immigrants facing deportation. Still leading efforts today, Mission Action now has a team of attorneys providing legal representation and advocacy across a range of complex cases. The organization also leads the San Francisco Rapid Response Network, a collaboration of legal organizations dedicated to responding to ICE activity through quick action, attorney activation and wrap-around services.

As the Women’s Collective and the San Francisco Day Labor Program joined our team in 2012, worker rights soon became a pillar of our work. These programs advocate for dignified work and fair wages. Our new Worker Cooperative follows that mission, providing immigrant workers with the tools and training they need to launch their own worker-owned business.

Our work in housing justice has also grown substantially. Through programs such as Casa Quezada, The Stay Over Program, Mission Inn and Casa Esperanza, we have expanded access to housing for undocumented immigrants, families, and young people ages 18-24. More recently we launched an Access Point, which acts as an entry point for people who experience homelessness in the Mission. We’ve used innovative and often first of its kind program models to meet communities where they are at and provide the services they need. That work is complimented by our Mission SRO Collaborative and Tenant Counseling programs, which focus on eviction prevention and fighting for tenant rights.

Recently, we have added more programs broadening the support Mission Action can offer. Mission Action operated the second largest food distribution program in the city of San Francisco. We launched a Wellness Program, emphasizing community health and wellness, and providing the education and tools to help our communities thrive. And in 2026, we hope to open the doors of our new Family Resource Center, designed to keep families stable and resourced when they are facing food and housing insecurity.

As the organization continues to grow today, our strategy has focused on making the greatest impact for the people we serve. That work has reflected four key areas – immigration rights, worker rights, housing rights, and health justice. By working to improve these 4 areas of living, we affect broader social change and address the root causes of suffering and injustice. Today, many of the demographics Mission Action supports feel under siege from changing legislation and policy, all while economic inequality continues to push more and more working people to the margins. We are, however, more committed than ever to continue our work and realize our vision for a vibrant and diverse San Francisco where all residents – regardless of income, immigration, or health status – have equal rights and access to resources and are empowered to fully participate in shaping the City’s future.