May Rose Residential Facility

Pros

• The facility is very safe and clean, with friendly, caring staff.
• It provides meals, showers, and a bed, offering a roof over residents' heads and a path off the streets.
• The late-night staff are the best and work with guests to find practical solutions.
• Residents are treated with respect and empathy.
• Soma Rise offers a short-term shelter that helps people sober up in a safe environment, with a bed, pillow, and meals, plus regular breaks.
• The staff are caring, positive, and non-judgmental.
• It is a good place for staying sober and off the streets for 24 hours, providing a space to relax and focus on health.
• The facility is described as nice, quiet, clean, and respectable.
• The staff go above and beyond to help others selflessly.

Cons

• This place is closed tf down.
• Just another facility run by a sleazy dirtbag that's pocketing the funding.
• The staff literally just tells people to go away for a while and come right back for a bed instead of guiding them to real help or services.
• It is going to make things worse.
• They could do a lot better; it's all for funding.

Review

Soma Rise appears in these accounts as a shelter built around giving people a safe, clean space to rest and reset, with a strong emphasis on providing a supportive, non-judgmental environment. Many reviewers describe it as a place that feels safe and well kept, where the staff are friendly and caring. Guests note that the facility offers more than just a bed: meals, showers, and a roof over the head of someone who's been sleeping on the streets are all highlighted as meaningful, practical supports. For those struggling with substance use, the shelter is often framed as a short-term haven that can help you get off the streets and regain a basic sense of normalcy.

Several reviews underscore the substance of Soma Rise's offering: it's described as a short-term shelter that provides a 24-hour window to "come down" or sober up in a safe environment, with a bed, a pillow, and meals available when you're hungry. The arrangement is presented as a way to pause, reflect, and reset. One of the standout features repeatedly mentioned is the structure: the place offers a quick, concrete routine - check in, stay for 24 hours, and then you have the option to discharge for a short period before you decide whether to return. The provision of simple comforts - quiet spaces, clean facilities, and reliable food and showers - are repeatedly praised as meaningful touches that help keep people off the streets for at least a day.

Staff and day-to-day interactions are a major theme across the reviews. Many people commend the staff for being friendly, supportive, and genuinely caring, with several noting that the late-night staff in particular are "the best" at helping guests find workable solutions when things feel stuck. There is a recurring sense that the workers genuinely want to help people, sometimes going out of their way to accommodate needs and provide non-judgmental support. Some reviewers even describe the staff as capable of fostering a sense of respect and empathy that makes staying there feel more like being cared for than being checked into a facility.

However, the picture is not uniformly ideal. A substantial portion of the feedback points to mixed experiences with staff. While many encounters are described as respectful and helpful, others recount frustration with perceived laziness, indifference, or a sense that some staff members act as if they're above the guests. Some people claim that a few staff members do not take the time to ask about an individual's situation or to offer guidance beyond directing people to return for a bed. The message from these accounts is that experiences can vary by staff shift or individual worker, leaving some guests feeling unsupported or judged.

There are also sharper criticisms that surface in these accounts. A number of reviewers express doubt about the facility's broader effectiveness, suggesting that it serves mainly as a bed and a bridge rather than a pathway to real, outside-of-hospital/inside-the-house solutions. Some complain that the shelter exists largely to process funding rather than to connect people with ongoing help or to address root problems. Others recount complaints about being told to "go away for a while" and come back for a bed without clear guidance on where to find real, long-term assistance. A few reviews even describe the place as being operated more for funding purposes than for genuine outreach, noting a disconnect between the website's promises and the on-the-ground reality.

Other details become points of contention in these reviews. A few references touch on operational hiccups, such as the facility being closed at times, or staff making accommodations that don't always align with guests' immediate needs (for example, food being unavailable in some situations). There are also mentions of rules like the ability to take a 30-minute smoke break every couple of hours, which some guests appreciate as a small but meaningful concession, while others view such policies as insufficient or inconsistent with the overall goals of helping people move beyond dependence.

Taken together, the collection of reviews paints a nuanced portrait of Soma Rise. For many, it is a clean, safe, and welcoming space that provides essential respite: a place to sleep, eat, shower, and regroup, with staff who are often kind, patient, and hopeful. For others, it reveals gaps - between the shelter's ideal of compassionate support and the daily realities of staffing, resource constraints, and the broader network of services that people need to transition to sustainable, long-term help. The common thread is that Soma Rise can be a valuable stop for immediate rest and a helping hand, but it may not always deliver consistent, comprehensive external support or long-term solutions, depending on who you encounter and what the day's operations look like.

If you're weighing whether to go, the takeaway is to view Soma Rise as a potentially life-affirming short-term option that many people have found comforting and practical, especially for a 24-hour window to regroup and stay off the streets. At the same time, you should be aware of the mixed experiences reported by others: some guests praise the staff and the environment, while others caution that the quality of service can vary, and that the facility may not always connect you to broader, longer-term resources. Your own needs - whether you're seeking immediate rest and a safe space, or robust assistance to navigate beyond a brief shelter stay - will shape whether Soma Rise feels like the right fit at a given time.

This part of San Francisco offers a variety of amenities and conveniences for seniors looking to reside in the area. With several parks nearby, such as Holly Park and Bernal Heights Park, there are plenty of opportunities to enjoy outdoor activities and stay active. Additionally, there are multiple pharmacies within a short distance, making it easy to access necessary medications and healthcare supplies. Places of worship like Church of the Epiphany provide spiritual support for those seeking religious community. With reputable physicians at facilities like Noe Valley Pediatrics and hospitals such as Laguna Honda Hospital & Rehabilitation Center nearby, residents can rest assured knowing they have access to quality healthcare services. The area also boasts a selection of cafes, restaurants, and theaters, providing ample opportunities for entertainment and socializing. Public transportation options like the West Portal MUNI Metro Station ensure easy accessibility around the city for those who may not drive. Overall, this part of San Francisco offers a well-rounded living environment with a range of amenities that cater to the needs and interests of seniors.

Parks

• Holly Park (1.3 miles)
• Bernal Heights Park (1.5 miles)
• Precita Park (1.7 miles)
• Potrero Hill Recreation Center (2.3 miles)
• Glen Canyon Park (2.4 miles)
• Upper Douglass Dog Park (2.5 miles)
• McKinley Square (2.5 miles)

Pharmacies

• Walgreens (1.7 miles)
• Walgreens (2.1 miles)
• Walgreens (2.1 miles)
• Walgreens (2.3 miles)
• Walgreens (2.4 miles)
• Walgreens (2.5 miles)
• Walgreens (3.1 miles)

Places of Worship

• Church of the Epiphany (1.8 miles)

Physicians

• Noe Valley Pediatrics (2.3 miles)
• One Medical (3.7 miles)

Theaters

• Alamo Drafthouse New Mission (2.4 miles)
• Alamo Square (4 miles)
• Regal Stonestown Galleria Screenx, 4Dx, & RPX (4 miles)
• AMC Metreon 16 (4.2 miles)
• AMC Kabuki 8 (4.6 miles)

Cafes

• Sightglass Coffee (2.5 miles)
• Neighbor's Corner (3 miles)
• Le Marais Bakery (3 miles)
• SPRO Coffee Lab (3.1 miles)
• Four Barrel Coffee (3.2 miles)
• Cafe Réveille (3.7 miles)
• Sightglass Coffee (3.7 miles)

Restaurants

• True Laurel (2.5 miles)
• Garden Creamery (2.6 miles)
• Good Good Culture Club (2.9 miles)
• Twin Peaks (3.2 miles)
• SF Eagle (3.3 miles)
• Hi Tops (3.3 miles)
• Deli Board (3.8 miles)

Hospitals

• Laguna Honda Hospital & Rehabilitation Center (3.5 miles)

Transportation

• West Portal MUNI Metro Station (3.6 miles)
• San Francisco Caltrain Station (3.7 miles)