Mayor Lee Announces Key Approvals for the Creation of a New Navigation Center to Serve Homeless Residents
San Francisco Port Commissioners & Dogpatch Neighbors Express Support for Navigation Center That Will Provide Shelter & Services to City’s Most Vulnerable
Mayor Edwin M. Lee today praised the community for their support and approval of the City’s Navigation Center in the Central Waterfront.
After six months of a robust community engagement and outreach process, this week the Dogpatch Neighborhood Association voted overwhelmingly to support the plan for a temporary Navigation Center at the end of 25th Street on San Francisco Port property. The Navigation Center is expected to open in February 2017. The San Francisco Port Commission also unanimously approved plans for the Central Waterfront Navigation Center citing the need to address homelessness in a constructive and strategic way.
“I want to thank our Dogpatch neighbors and our Port commissioners and staff for their support as we look for new and innovative ways to move people into supportive environments and help end their homelessness,” said Mayor Ed Lee. “We exemplify our San Francisco values when we join forces and seek solutions to help our most vulnerable residents.”
Navigation Centers are a temporary, low-threshold shelter model that provides on-site essential services and works toward permanent housing for the most vulnerable homeless San Franciscans. Navigation Centers have been nationally recognized as a best practice in addressing street homelessness by the National Alliance to End Homelessness and the Obama Administration’s Interagency Council on Homelessness.
“Here in the City of Saint Francis we lead with compassion to address our community challenges. San Franciscans are coming together to promote effective solutions to one of our most pressing community issues,” said Willie Adams, President of the San Francisco Port Commission. “To me this is a moral issue and I am proud that the Port is standing on the side of justice.”
“Navigation Centers are an important link for connecting people in encampments with long term solutions to their homelessness,” said Sam Dodge, Deputy Director Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing.
This is the third Navigation Center that will provide shelter and support services for up to 70 homeless people at a time. Navigation Centers are a proven approach to sheltering and serving the most vulnerable people on our streets. The first Navigation Center opened in March 2015 and the second opened in June 2016.