San Francisco Homeless Navigation Centers: Creating a Pathway Towards Hope


Written by: Juliana Choy Sommer
Published: January 10, 2019
Category: Latest News

Priority Architectural Graphics was pleased to be selected by the City of San Francisco, Public Works, to provide the signage for three of the city’s newest navigation centers as it expands its drive to better meet the needs of the city’s homeless population. Major London Breed has committed that addressing homelessness is her top priority for the City of San Francisco and her recent budget increases city spending on homeless services by $60 million.

Bryant Navigation Center Ribbon Cutting and Launch in San Francisco- January 2019

In January 2019, the fifth navigation center, 84-bed Bryant Street Navigation Center opened at the corner of Fifth and Bryant Streets with a ribbon cutting by the Major, London Breed, along with other city officials.

The City opened its first Navigation Center in March 2015. This new model of providing services to unsheltered individuals and families differ from traditional shelters in both the level of intensity of services and in the centers’ more liberal policies allowing personal belongings and pets in the centers. These facilities provide homeless San Franciscans room and board while case managers work to connect them to income, public benefits, health services, shelter, and housing. Navigation Centers do not accept external referrals or drop-ins. The services provided by Navigation Centers are integrated with other city departments serving the homeless including the Encampment Resolution Team and the Coordinated Entry System. 

Major Breed notes, “Navigation Centers will help us get people off the streets and transitioned into permanent housing. It is not enough to merely get people indoors, we know that we need to provide services to ensure they do not end up back on our streets.”

Prior to the Bryant Street Navigation Center’s launch, Priority Graphics provided ADA-compliant signage for the 125 Bayshore Navigation Center which opened in July and for the Division Circle Navigation Center which opened in June 2018.

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