City authorizes 2‑year lease at 888 Post to expand Lower Polk youth navigation center

The Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing asked the committee to retroactively authorize a two‑year lease (07/01/2026–06/30/2028) between the city and 3rd Street Youth Center and Clinic for the 2nd and 3rd floors of city‑owned property at 888 Post Street. Dylan Schneider (interim deputy director, HSH) said the lease does not add beds but allows the program to operate more safely and effectively by creating dedicated counseling, wellness, and private case‑management spaces.

"This lease and tenant improvements will allow staff to have more private and confidential areas for case management and counseling," Schneider said. He also said 3rd Street has raised more than $1,000,000 in private funding to support improvements and that HSH already funds property expenses so the lease itself has minimal fiscal impact (rent $1/year).

Michelle Roberts, director of residential behavioral health at 3rd Street, described planned wellness rooms, therapy offices, a barber shop area, and computer lab to support youth stabilization. The committee voted to forward the lease authorization to the full board with a positive recommendation (roll call: Sauter, Chen, Dorsey — 3 ayes).