About Us
San Franciscans for Social Housing is a grassroots organization dedicated to making permanently affordable, publicly-owned social housing a reality in San Francisco.
Co-Founders
Honest Charley Bodkin
Co-Founder
Honest Charley Bodkin is a writer, technologist, and campaign strategist. Named for his great-grandfather, who ran Honest Charley's Speed Shop, Charley has spent his career at the intersection of technology, media, and civics—first at the Los Angeles Times, where his work contributed to a Pulitzer Prize for Breaking News. After leaving the Times, he created an app named Osmosys, which helped save the time of journalists and newsroom production staff at the LA Times, San Diego Union Tribune, Vox Media, Lookout Santa Cruz, and CalMatters. He now builds tools that help people understand their communities and participate more fully in democracy. Charley is also the founder of the District 5 Democratic Club.
Dylan Hirsch-Shell
Co-Founder
Dylan Hirsch-Shell is a scientist, engineer, and community advocate with deep roots in San Francisco, where his family history dates back to 1870. He holds degrees from MIT and UCLA, including a Ph.D. in Neuroscience, and spent more than a decade at Tesla leading global engineering teams and developing cutting-edge electric vehicle technology. A former candidate for Mayor of San Francisco in 2024, Dylan brings a problem-solving mindset, commitment to social justice, and a belief in evidence-based, collaborative governance to his work for a more equitable and sustainable city.
Our Mission
Our mission is to ensure San Francisco creates and funds a robust Social Housing Program. We advocate for social housing that is publicly-owned, permanently affordable, beautifully designed, and available to San Franciscans across the income spectrum to ensure we create a city where everyone has a place to call home.
Join the Movement
Help us fight for social housing in San Francisco. Every signature and every voice makes a difference.