This month's election yielded mixed results on housing. The pros: a solid victory for pro-housing Mayor London Breed and two affordable housing measures. The con: likely more anti-housing sentiment on the Board of Supervisors.
The result of San Francisco's recent elections "echoes a contradiction at the heart of politics and public opinion in San Francisco, where far more officials and residents claim to support housing than are willing to welcome it to their neighborhoods," writes the San Francisco Chronicle Editorial Board.
On one hand, the strong reelection of Mayor London Breed to her first full term "was itself a testament to the political strength of a mayor who has pushed for more housing across the spectrum." On top of that, Prop. A, a $600 million affordable housing bond measure, passed with "overwhelming support." So did Prop. E, designed to boost affordable development, including for teachers.
At the same time, the election of Dean Preston to represent Breed's former district on the Board of Supervisors "stands to exacerbate the Board of Supervisors' already pronounced bias against housing."
The editorial goes on, "The same board has gone out of its way to heap aspersions on the state Legislature's most important housing bill and block residential projects that might detract from the city's inconstant sunlight or its supposedly historic laundry assets. It's a miserable record in a city that can't seem to stem soaring housing costs or homelessness, and Preston appears likely to make it worse."
Read the full story: Editorial: SF election’s muddled housing message
San Francisco Could Strike Deal on New Tower
The city is leveraging height increases and density bonuses to acquire more properties for affordable housing.
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.
San Francisco Supes Reject Proposal To Turn Parking Lot Into Housing
State legislators are decrying the Board of Supervisors' decision to reject a proposal to build a 495-unit apartment building on a downtown San Francisco parking lot.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
California plans to bury El Niño’s downpour
If the state plays its cards right, it may be able to store a billion acre-feet of El Niño’s water in aquifers.
Chicago breaks ground on $3 billion megadevelopment
The new neighborhood, titled Foundry Park, will one day host 3,700 residences.
Satanic place names
From streams and lakes to valleys and canyons, I mapped more than 1,000 places named after the Devil.
California High-Speed Rail Authority CEO resigns after $600,000 scandal
Under Ian Choudri, the authority used taxpayer dollars to fund first class flights and trips to nightclubs.
Want to study the Missouri River? Soon, you may need unanimous approval from 10 states
Legislation would require 10 governors’ permission to study or build projects moving water outside the basin.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
City of Rosemead
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
City of Cambridge
Montrose County
The Pocatello Development Authority