San Francisco Mayor London Breed is fighting hard to make it easier to develop affordable housing in the cost-impacted city. A fight will likely be required.
During the State of the City address last week, San Francisco Mayor London Breed proposed a charter amendment that would guarantee "as-of-right" approval for 100 percent affordable housing.
Diego Aguilar-Canabal reports on Mayor Breed's bombshell proposition. As noted in the article, Mayor Breed even directly calling out NIMBY activists in the speech:
“If an affordable housing or teacher housing project is proposed within zoning, then build it. And build it now,” Breed declared. “No more bureaucracy. No more costly appeals. No more ‘not in my neighborhood.’ It’s simple: Affordable housing as-of-right because housing affordability is a right.”
The proposal will require a vote of San Francisco's Board of Supervisors or a grassroots signature gathering campaign to place the proposal on the March 2020 ballot. Randy Shaw, Executive Director of the Tenderloin Housing Clinic, is quoted in the article saying that the proposal will put the Board of Supervisors' progressive bona finds to the test. "Considering every Supervisor says they support affordable housing, the vote to place this on the ballot should be 11-0," says Shaw. Still, Aguilar-Canabal provides evidence that not all of the supervisors would vote to support by-right approval, preferring to defer to neighborhood preferences.
The city of San Francisco has considered the possibility of by-right affordable housing before, in 2015. That measure was proposed by then-Supervisor Scott Wiener, and met vocal opposition. Mayor Breed's proposal is also announced in the context of reports about the city's failing inclusionary zoning policy.
FULL STORY: SF Mayor Breed Announces Ballot Measure to Speed Up Affordable Housing
Voters Could Get the Chance to Ease Development Restrictions in San Francisco
A ballot initiative by San Francisco Mayor London Breed would make it easier for qualifying developments (e.g., developments that include affordable housing) to sidestep discretionary approvals.
San Francisco to Reconsider Inclusionary Zoning as Development Slows to a Crawl
Critics of inclusionary zoning frequently point to San Francisco as an example of what not to do. A sluggish year of development has some local politicians ready to reconsider the city’s program.
Housing Initiative Inches Closer to San Francisco Voters
Housing advocates hope a charter amendment that would streamline the development approval process will make it to the November ballot.
Depopulation Patterns Get Weird
A recent ranking of “declining” cities heavily features some of the most expensive cities in the country — including New York City and a half-dozen in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Pennsylvania Mall Conversion Bill Passes House
If passed, the bill would promote the adaptive reuse of defunct commercial buildings.
California Exodus: Population Drops Below 39 Million
Never mind the 40 million that demographers predicted the Golden State would reach by 2018. The state's population dipped below 39 million to 38.965 million last July, according to Census data released in March, the lowest since 2015.
Google Maps Introduces New Transit, EV Features
It will now be easier to find electric car charging stations and transit options.
Ohio Lawmakers Propose Incentivizing Housing Production
A proposed bill would take a carrot approach to stimulating housing production through a grant program that would reward cities that implement pro-housing policies.
Chicago Awarded $2M Reconnecting Communities Grant
Community advocates say the city’s plan may not do enough to reverse the negative impacts of a major expressway.
City of Costa Mesa
Licking County
Barrett Planning Group LLC
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Universal City TX
ULI Northwest Arkansas
Town of Zionsville
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
