Prompted by the May 24 approval by the Board of Supervisors of the massive redevelopment of the Parkmerced garden apartments, The Examiner looks at the city's evolution from protecting city character at all costs to a more urbanist approach.
In a landmark, 5-4 vote the Board of Supervisors will allow 5,700 housing units to be built on the sprawling 152-acre Parkmerced site in the southwest corner of the City, setting the stage for the even larger (8,000 units) proposal on Treasure Island to be voted on June 7.
"Months of political tip-toeing before (the Parkmerced vote) should demonstrate a simple lesson: There is no exact formula for predicting whether development plans become reality in San Francisco."
However, the tide has clearly changed in favor of dense, transit-oriented development. The debate centers on how what and how many community benefits the Board can extract from the developers. With Parkmerced, a key issue was protecting rights of those whose homes will be demolished.
"The developers have promised to uphold the rent-control rights of current tenants and provide them with modern replacement units in advance of demolition."
FULL STORY: The new politics of dense development in San Francisco
S.F. Bay Area Megaprojects Not Coming to Fruition
Plans for numerous large-scale developments in the region mean thousands of housing units should be on the way, but constant delays and setbacks have left projects nowhere near completion.
Megaprojects Approved in San Francisco
Two major redevelopment projects - Treasure Island and Parkmerced - have been approved after a lengthy process by San Francisco's Board of Supervisors.
How to Fund SF’s Muni Without Cutting Service
Three solutions for bridging the San Francisco transit agency’s budget gap without reducing service for transit-dependent riders.
Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
San Francisco Suspends Traffic Calming Amidst Record Deaths
Citing “a challenging fiscal landscape,” the city will cease the program on the heels of 42 traffic deaths, including 24 pedestrians.
Adaptive Reuse Will Create Housing in a Suburban Texas Strip Mall
A developer is reimagining a strip mall property as a mixed-use complex with housing and retail.
Study: Anti-Homelessness Laws Don’t Work
Research shows that punitive measures that criminalized unhoused people don’t help reduce homelessness.
In U.S., Urban Gondolas Face Uphill Battle
Cities in Latin America and Europe have embraced aerial transitways — AKA gondolas — as sustainable, convenient urban transport, especially in tricky geographies. American cities have yet to catch up.
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.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
Custer County Colorado
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Jefferson Parish Government
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont