A new fee would add an estimated 6 percent to the cost of building new office space in San Francisco, yet not many from the business community resisted the new costs.
"[I]n San Francisco, which has seen jobs grow 38% since 2010, legislation to double a fee on office development over the next few years breezed through the legislative process, winning unanimous support on Tuesday from the Board of Supervisors," reports J.K. Dineen.
"The increase in the one-time fees creates an additional $170 million for affordable housing, for a total of $385 million over the next five to seven years," according to Dineen.
The legislation didn't meet much resistance, despite predictions by City Economist Ted Egan that the fee would cost the city in job creation capacity, because of the intense need for affordable housing in the city.
FULL STORY: New SF fee on office buildings to pay for affordable housing sails through
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.
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