SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) – San Francisco officials are pushing to open more navigation centers in the city to help fight the homeless crisis.
This, in addition to a recent call for more bathrooms or ‘Pit Stops’ throughout the city.
Right now, the city’s seven navigation centers, including the one on the Embarcadero, that will open before the end of the year, all fall into one of three of the city’s 11 supervisorial districts in the southeast part of the city.
At a news conference Wednesday in front of the Civic Center navigation center, those district’s supervisors said the city must spread new navigation centers across the city.
“We want everyone to be part of the solution so they cannot just get off the streets tonight but so they can transition and find a place to call home,” Supervisor Matt Haney said.
Legislation introduced requires the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing (HSH) to open a Navigation Center within six months in each of two supervisorial districts where no Navigation Center currently exists, and to open at least one Navigation Center within 30 months in each supervisorial district where no Navigation Center currently exists.
“Having a navigation center in each district would help us to address a city-wide crisis with a city-wide strategy that goes across the entire city,” Shamann Walton said.
Co-sponsoring the legislation is newly elected Supervisor Dean Preston who says he welcomes a navigation center in the Haight.
“I have talked to thousands of people in District 5 and overwhelmingly they want a navigation center in the district,” Preston said.
Before going to the full board for a vote, the legislation must get through a committee that begins in January.