Dear Members of the UCSF Community,

We are delighted to share the news that UCSF has received a $30 million donation to launch a rigorous academic research program on homelessness. This new effort aims to build an evidence-based body of knowledge in the field; to train the next generation of homelessness researchers; and to serve as a resource for policy makers and others trying to solve the problem.

The gift, from Marc and Lynne Benioff, establishes the UCSF Benioff Homelessness and Housing Initiative, which will be led by Margot Kushel, MD, professor of medicine. Kushel, a nationally known expert on homelessness, is director of the UCSF Center for Vulnerable Populations at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center, where the initiative will be housed. Joshua Bamberger, MD, adjunct professor of family and community medicine, will serve as the initiative’s associate director.

Nearly one-quarter of the nation’s homeless people live in the state of California. As we all are acutely aware, many members of our local communities are struggling with this challenge. While efforts will initially focus on the Bay Area, ultimately the intent is to make research findings available to policy makers and others grappling with the issue across the nation.

In our region, perhaps the gravest threats to health are due to poverty, discrimination and, particularly, homelessness. At UCSF, our collective work in research and health care is focused on reducing inequities in health outcomes. We rely on visionary partners and donors like the Benioffs to help us...