San Francisco, CA — On Tuesday, February 25, the Board of Supervisors approved the lease for a new 75-bed Navigation Center at 888 Post Street. Mayor London N. Breed and Supervisor Aaron Peskin sponsored the legislation to create the Navigation Center to serve Transitional Age Youth (ages 18-24) experiencing homelessness.

888 Post Street will become the City’s first Navigation Center for young people ages 18-24. The Navigation Center model provides low-barrier shelter so young people can come inside with partners, pets and their possessions, with 24/7 access, and trauma-informed care. The 75 beds at 888 Post are part of Mayor Breed’s initiative to add 1,000 new shelter beds in San Francisco by the end of this year.

“There are far too many young people sleeping on our streets every night, and this proposed shelter at 888 Post will help us provide much-needed shelter and services to those who need it,” said Mayor Breed. “I want to thank Supervisor Peskin for his leadership on this Navigation Center and for working to build such strong community support for this project.”

“From our Governor to our Mayor to the people of San Francisco, we all agree that homelessness is the great social challenge of our time,” said Supervisor Peskin. “When we meaningfully involve the community in the process of tackling the crisis, we all become invested in the outcomes. This Navigation Center and job training site will transform lives, and I’m looking forward to continuing to work with our broader Lower Nob Hill community to ensure its success.”

The Navigation Center at 888 Post Street will fill a critical gap in the City’s homeless response system and help get young people off the street and on the path to housing. Over 1,000 Transitional Age Youth are experiencing homelessness in San Francisco, and 83% of young people experiencing homelessness are unsheltered. The City currently has one 40-bed shelter dedicated to serving youth 18 to 24 years old.

“Homelessness among young people has decreased in San Francisco as we have increased our investment. Having a place where young people can come indoors with peers, gain safety and access our system of care has been a long-held goal for our young people, HSH and our partners,” said Jeff Kositsky, Director, Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing.

The Board authorized the lease of the building for 20 years, with a base rent of $1.5 million. The City has the option of purchasing the building at any time from now until August 2022. The City’s Real Estate Division negotiated the terms of the lease with the property owners, Tidewater Capital. Additionally, the City plans to sublease the ground floor of the building to Goodwill, which will offset some of the cost of the rent.

“We are thrilled to be collaborating with the various stakeholders involved in this groundbreaking public-private partnership aimed at addressing one of our City’s most pressing issues,” said Craig Young, Managing Principal, Tidewater Capital. “We are proud that 888 Post will be transformed into an ecosystem to support at risk youth through shelter and services that will help them get back on their feet.”

In addition to providing shelter and wraparound services, the facility at 888 Post will house a job training program provided by Goodwill Industries, which Navigation Center guests may choose to access on the first floor of the building.

The City hosted multiple community discussion about the project, including two large community input forums on January 9^th and January 23^rd. The input forums included representatives from the Mayor’s office, Supervisor Peskin’s office, the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing, Goodwill, and numerous neighbors and community stakeholders.

On Thursday, February 27^th, the Planning Commission will vote on the Conditional Use Permit for the Navigation Center.

“Housing and employment are inextricably linked. The Goodwill Training and Career Center at 888 Post Street will offer proven vocational programs and services, including critical digital skill building, to transitional age youth in our community,” said SF Goodwill President and CEO William Rogers. “As a nonprofit, our mission is to create second chances through training and the dignity of work. In partnership with the Mayor’s office, the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing and Supervisor Peskin’s office, we will work together to break the cycle of homelessness and chronic unemployment for some of the city’s most vulnerable populations.”

“Music City is proud to support the TAY Navigation Center at 888 Post Street,” said Peter Jacobsen, General Manager, Music City Hit Factory. “Our organization has been inspired by the outpouring of support from the neighborhood and our community of musicians. The housing crisis is our city’s most critical issue. San Francisco must spare no effort in its commitment to finding impactful solutions. The statistics are clear that 18 to 24 year olds are not effectively served by general homeless rehabilitation services. The long vacant House of Fans building represents a rare opportunity to secure an optimal location and transform it into a beacon of hope for our underserved neighbors. We look forward to helping to foster the project and its clients in any way we can.”

This January, Mayor Breed announced the next phase in the City’s efforts to address homelessness, with a goal to open at least 2,000 additional places for people experiencing homelessness over the next two years. These placements will include Permanent Supportive Housing, scattered-site supportive housing, master leased housing, behavioral health beds, and expanded shelter and drop-in center capacity. Mayor Breed’s initiative recognizes that housing is a core part of the Homeless Response System, and that in order to get people off the streets and into shelter, the City needs to focus on expanding Permanent Supportive Housing as well as Rapid Rehousing, Housing Ladder and Problem Solving exits from homelessness to improve flow across the system and open up spaces in the shelter system.

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