San Francisco Approved an Expanded Central SoMa Plan

San Francisco has granted preliminary approval for the Central SoMa Plan, culminating years of planning and making space for 8,800 housing units and 31,000 jobs.

"A portion of downtown San Francisco will change dramatically with thousands of housing units, jobs — and even a public swimming pool — under a plan finally approved Tuesday by the Board of Supervisors after eight years of hearings, amendments and negotiations," reports Trisha Thadani.

San Francisco Supervisor Jane Kim is quoted in the article saying the Central SoMa Plan is "the biggest area plan the city has passed."

"The rezoning of Central SoMa was initially about creating the large-floor-plate office buildings coveted by tech companies. It originally envisioned about 7,000 housing units and space for about 39,000 jobs. But as the city’s housing crisis worsened over the years, city planners and supervisors pushed to increase the amount of housing," according to Thadani.

The article includes a lot more details about provisions in the plan for affordable housing, past opposition to the plan, and next steps.