Judge Delays Decision Whether To Halt Construction Of Homeless Navigation Center In SF
SAN FRANCISCO (KPIX) - The framing of San Francisco's Homeless Navigation Center has popped up above the green fencing on the Embarcadero's Seawall Lot 330. On Monday, a judge ruled the construction can continue for now.
"What I propose to do today is to deny the request for a temporary restraining order, but to issue an order to show cause and set this matter for hearing at a future date," said Judge Ethan Schulman in court Monday morning.
The neighborhood group 'Safe Embarcadero for All' asked for construction to come to a halt. The judge denied that request and pushed the matter to September 23rd.
Peter Prows, Safe Embarcardero's attorney, is calling the ruling a win.
"It means that the city has to explain itself and show why it is not violating the law in proceeding to build this project in violation of the law that the city helped draft," Prows said.
Also calling Monday's hearing a win was the San Francisco City Attorney's office saying in a statement:
"We're pleased the judge denied their request to stop construction on this needed shelter. This project has undergone all of the required environmental review, and all appropriate land use laws were followed."
Safe Embarcadero for All alleges the city violated state law in failing to get permission to build housing on the seawall lot from the State Lands Commission.
Along San Francisco's waterfront, neighbors were still questioning the location.
"It just doesn't seem that they're giving a lot of thought to these people, or those people, or the people down there or the people over here. Why don't they do this down the street. There's land down there, I'll go find them land," said neighbor Jim Murphy.
This is the second Homeless Navigation Center in San Francisco; there is another one a mile away.
The city said they plan to beef up police security in the area when it opens.
As for the delays, the city says every month is costing $100,000.
