Committee recommends 1076 Howard lease for drug sobering center, DPH to proceed to Board

The Department of Public Health asked the committee to recommend a lease for a remodeled two‑story building at 1076 Howard Street to house a Drug Sobering Center (branded the Summer Rise Center) on the ground floor and DPH offices above. DPH described the site as centrally located in a SoMa/Tenderloin overdose hot spot and said the center is a trauma‑informed, harm‑reduction facility designed to receive people intoxicated on methamphetamine, opioids or other substances and provide rest, basic medical checks, showers and referrals.

Director of Real Estate Andrico Penick outlined the lease economics: 16,668 rentable square feet; base rent about $854,235 per year (~$51.25/sq ft) with 3% annual escalations; tenant improvement costs split with the landlord (landlord contribution ~$55/sq ft; city contribution about $113/sq ft, roughly $1.8M); six months of free rent spread over six years; triple‑net lease for taxes, insurance, utilities and maintenance; and a first right of refusal to purchase during the first year.

The Budget & Legislative Analyst estimated the city’s cost over the initial term at about $7.7M and recommended approval; funding is expected from Proposition C. Supervisors asked about handling mixed intoxication cases (methamphetamine laced with fentanyl), intake/outreach to keep people from lingering outside and proposed transport and follow‑up plans. DPH said staff will be trained on both stimulant and opioid presentations, the space has active and quiet areas to accommodate agitation or resting, and there will be outreach to bring people in rather than leaving them on sidewalks.

The committee voted to refer the lease to the Board of Supervisors with a positive recommendation.