San Francisco Required to Change Restrictive Housing Approval Policies

According to an article by Marisa Lagos for KQED, “California housing authorities are demanding a host of changes to the way San Francisco approves new housing following a yearlong state review into the city’s notoriously difficult permitting process.”

A report from the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) concluded that the city’s processes make it too easy for even one individual to stall or stop projects. The city has the longest timeline in the state for approvals of housing projects. “The city also received the most complaints about potential violations of state housing laws of any California jurisdiction, nearly double the next city’s.”

“Among the key problems identified in the 44-page report are the city’s practice of making all permitting discretionary — that is, subject to review by city officials — and allowing appeals after a project has already been approved, and its local laws that add more onerous requirements to state environmental law, and go far beyond what’s required.”

The report calls for 18 specific changes the city must make. The city “must revise laws governing the permitting process by 2026 and eliminate additional environmental requirements within one to three years.”