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Port affirms 24‑month extension for Embarcadero Navigation Center after heated public comment
Summary
The Port Commission unanimously affirmed the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing’s exercise of a 24‑month option to extend the Embarcadero Navigation Center MOU through Dec. 31, 2027, after staff detailed compliance with required conditions and neighbors raised concerns about public‑safety and drug use in adjacent public spaces.
SAN FRANCISCO — After extended public comment and discussion, the Port Commission voted unanimously to affirm the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing’s (HSH) conditional exercise of a 24‑month option to extend Memorandum of Understanding M‑17094 for the Embarcadero Navigation Center through Dec. 31, 2027, with a final surrender date of June 30, 2028.
Staff from the Port and HSH told commissioners the extension is conditional on compliance with three categories of requirements: provision of dedicated services including public‑safety presence and dedicated cleaning; quarterly reporting of operations and publicly available crime statistics; and adherence to a community‑developed good‑neighbor policy. Kimberly Beal, assistant deputy director for real estate, and Emily Cohen of HSH detailed interdepartmental commitments and community engagement efforts that staff say meet those conditions.
"We serve, we shelter and house...the Embarcadero Navigation Center is a critical component of this portfolio," Emily Cohen said, describing services including 24/7 staffing by operator 5 Keys, two meals per day, case management, and partnerships with public health.
Neighborhood speakers voiced sharply contrasting views. Dr. Mark Hall, a resident near the center, read a letter alleging the city fell short on MOU provisions, citing weekend gaps in police coverage, open drug use in the adjacent Beale Street cul‑de‑sac and increased blight. "If the port renews this lease, it must do so with firm conditions, full compliance with every provision in the MOU," he said. By contrast, Alice Rogers, chair of the Embarcadero Navigation Center advisory committee, supported the extension and credited recent operational improvements, including an expanded ambassador program and increased perimeter cleaning.
Operator 5 Keys CEO Steve Goode told the commission the organization has increased perimeter cleaning and added ambassadors who perform outreach, de‑escalation and reporting; Captain Amy Hurwitz of SFPD’s Southern Station said the department continues to provide overtime coverage amid staffing shortages and that recent incidents have been lower‑level nuisance crimes rather than major incidents.
Commissioners asked detailed questions about ambassador roles, increased hourly perimeter cleaning (implemented in April 2025), Narcan training for staff and volunteers, and procedures for addressing on‑site possession of illegal drugs. HSH and 5 Keys explained that illegal substances found on site are confiscated, documented and can lead to progressive write‑ups that may result in removal; staff also noted an on‑site clinic operated in partnership with Public Health.
The commission affirmed staff findings that HSH met the option‑exercise conditions and approved the extension by unanimous voice vote.
What’s next: The extension allows the Navigation Center to continue operating while long‑term development on Seawall Lot 330 advances; staff said the MOU includes a six‑month demobilization period to relocate about 200 guests when required by future development.
