DZLU MEETING DATE: February 21, 2023
1. ONGOING POLICY UPDATES
a. SF HOUSING ELEMENT
Specific rezoning proposals and strategies to expedite and incentivize housing projects will be on the agenda of upcoming Planning Commission meetings and taken up for action by the Board of Supervisors. At that time, DZLU will discuss resubmitting our previous comments and any new comments that emerge.
b. MISCELLANEOUS HOUSING POLICY UPDATES
– Revisions to HOME-SF bonus program:
Revisions have been proposed by Supervisors Peskin and Mandelman. Currently the program offers housing projects a density bonus and either 1 or 2 stories of additional height, depending on the percentage of affordable units provided. This is the City’s own bonus program intended to compete with the State’s density bonus program. To make the City’s option more attractive and competitive, this revision would provide a voluntary option to place the units under rent control in lieu of requiring that a percentage of the units be affordable. The Planning Commission generally approved this option with some debate over whether individually listed historic properties or all buildings within a historic district would be ineligible for the program. The original program is outlined in the link:
https://sfplanning.org/home-sf
– SB 423 proposal by Sen. Wiener to extend SB 35:
SB 35 as currently applied to San Francisco requires the City to provide streamlined, ministerial approval of housing proposals if (1) at least 50% of the units are affordable, (2) if the projects comply with existing objective zoning and planning standards, and (3) if the city has not met its state-mandated affordable housing targets. SB 35 sunsets at the end of 2025.
SB 423 if passed would make the program permanent for as long as state targets are unmet. It also eases construction labor requirements, in some cases requiring prevailing wages rather than mandatory union participation.
https://www.sfchronicle.com/politics/article/sb35-new-housing-law-17777302.php
c. HISTORIC PRESERVATION PLANNING
The Historic Preservation Commission on 3-1-23 recommended to initiate landmarking of the Church for the Fellowship of All Peoples on 2041 Larkin St. (at Vallejo) because of its noted history as one of the first inter-racial, inter-cultural, inter-denominational churches in the US. This would advance to the Supervisors for final action.
d. RESIDENTIAL VACANCY TAX
A lawsuit has been filed challenging San Francisco’s Proposition M that was passed by voters last November. Co-plaintiffs are the Small Property Owners of San Francisco Institute, the San Francisco Apartment Association, the San Francisco Association of Realtors and several small property owners. The lawsuit claims the proposition violates the state Ellis Act, and violates equal protection and due process provisions of the state and federal constitutions. See link to lawsuit:
https://www.smallprop.org/Userfiles/file/small-realty-vs-san-francisco-complaint-.pdf
Leave a Reply