Food insecurity and hunger safety net use among single-room occupancy tenants in San Francisco, CA

We used a cross-sectional survey to explore the prevalence of food insecurity and use of hunger safety net programs, as well as the extent that they are associated, among 595 single-room occupancy tenants living within high-poverty neighborhoods in San Francisco, CA. The population was primarily male (73%) and over 55 years old (59%). 84% were classified as food insecure. 46% used free grocery programs, 44% used free dining rooms, and 34% used free home-delivered meals. Adjusted regressions estimated an inverse relationship (OR 0.91, 95% CI: 0.8, 1.0) between free home-delivered meals and food insecurity, suggesting a potential protective association.