In what could be a first, but potential not a last, the power of the California Environmental Quality Act was invoked in San Francisco with regard to concerns about gentrification.

"In a move that shocked city officials and housing advocates, the Board of Supervisors [in November] rejected a 157-unit Mission District development, claiming that city planners failed to take into account the impact the complex would have on displacement and gentrification in a district that has been the heart of the city’s working-class Latino community," reports J.K. Dineen.
The environmental review for the development at 1515 S. Van Ness Ave. will now go back to planners, but the implications of the decision were felt throughout planning and development communities in the city. According to Dineen, however, "uncertain whether the move signaled that future development proposals would be scrutinized for their impacts on gentrification and the displacement of residents and businesses from a neighborhood." San Francisco Planning Director John Rahaim is quoted in the article deferring to the city attorney about whether the decision is precedent setting.
The article includes other political leaders, community activists, and experts discussing the shocking, and rare, decision by the Board of Supervisors to uphold the project's environmental review. The decision was made all the more shocking because the developer voluntarily agreed to include 25 percent affordable housing in the development.
FULL STORY: SF supervisors reject development lacking gentrification study

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
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Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking
Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?

Pedestrian Deaths Drop, Remain Twice as High as in 2009
Fatalities declined by 4 percent in 2024, but the U.S. is still nowhere close to ‘Vision Zero.’

King County Supportive Housing Program Offers Hope for Unhoused Residents
The county is taking a ‘Housing First’ approach that prioritizes getting people into housing, then offering wraparound supportive services.

Researchers Use AI to Get Clearer Picture of US Housing
Analysts are using artificial intelligence to supercharge their research by allowing them to comb through data faster. Though these AI tools can be error prone, they save time and housing researchers are optimistic about the future.
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