State awards $10 million for San Francisco navigation centers; city leaders tout results

City and state officials on Feb. 7 announced a $10 million allocation to support two new navigation centers in San Francisco that together are expected to create more than 250 beds and help the city move toward a goal of getting 1,000 people off the streets this winter.

Assemblymember Phil Ting, who secured the funding in Sacramento, said the grant ties services to housing and is designed to help people transition from street homelessness into longer-term housing. "This is something that's not just happening in San Francisco… we have to do something about it," Ting said.

Officials described the navigation-center model as a low-barrier, 24-hour intake site that allows people to keep community ties, retain possessions and bring pets while case managers link them to benefits and housing. Mayor’s Office representatives and Department of Homelessness staff said the centers are a bridge to supportive housing and help reduce encampments: Supervisor Hillary Ronan said a temporary navigation center in her district reduced a high of 246 tents to about 40.

Jeff Kositzky of the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing said the City normally houses about 2,000 people a year and that the new funding will allow an additional 1,000 people to be helped annually when combined with other efforts. City staff and nonprofit partners described on-site services including enrollment for benefits, medical care coordination and storage for personal property.

What happens next: city departments, nonprofit partners and funders will coordinate site selection, operations and services; officials offered site tours and pledged further collaboration to place navigation centers in areas with greatest need.