Mayor London Breed’s call to open a controversial homeless shelter on San Francisco’s waterfront shot through the port’s notoriously lengthy approval process in a mere six weeks. Opponents are hoping the quick approval will play in their favor as they start a court challenge to the 200-bed Navigation Center on the Embarcadero south of the Bay Bridge.

“In their haste to get this through, and under pressure from the mayor, they have not crossed all the t’s and dotted all of the necessary i’s,” said land use attorney Andrew Zacks, who represents residents opposed to the center.

Port Director Elaine Forbes said the shelter, which is to be located on port property, was put on an unusually fast track, “but we are dealing with a homeless crisis here.”

Given the politics of homelessness in the city, Zacks said the Board of Supervisors will almost certainly reject any appeal to overturn the port’s decision, so the next move will be to take the matter out out of the local arena and make their case to the State Lands Commission and the courts.

“You never know how long the courts will take, but I see a two- to three-year legal battle” before a final decision is handed down, Zacks said.

San Francisco Chronicle columnist Phillip Matier appears Sundays and Wednesdays. Matier can be seen on the KPIX-TV morning and evening news. He can also be heard on KCBS radio Monday through Friday at 7:50 a.m. and 5:50 p.m. Got a tip? Call 415-777-8815, or email pmatier@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @philmatier