The controversial Marina Safeway redevelopment just cleared a critical hurdle that makes it harder for City Hall to block—and positions the project's developer to bypass much of San Francisco's notoriously slow approval process.
Developer Align Real Estate has secured agreements with two major construction unions, satisfying a key requirement under California's AB 2011 housing streamlining law, according to SF Chronicle. The San Francisco Building and Construction Trades Council and the NorCal Carpenters Union confirmed their involvement this week, partnerships mandated by the state law that could accelerate approval for the 25-story, 790-unit housing complex.
The union backing complicates the political landscape for opponents, including Mayor Daniel Lurie and District 2 Supervisor Stephen Sherrill, who have both vocally opposed the waterfront project. "This project creates exactly the kind of union jobs San Francisco needs," Jay Bradshaw, executive secretary of the NorCal Carpenters Union, told SF Chronicle.
Timeline Dispute Looms
With the union agreements in place, Align planned to file its AB 2011 application on Tuesday. But there's already disagreement about what happens next, as reported by SF Chronicle. The Planning Department says it has 180 days for full approval—90 days to confirm eligibility and compliance, then another 90 to approve the project.
Align disputes that timeline. According to a letter the developer sent to Planning officials, the city has just 30 days to determine whether the application is complete, then must approve the project within 90 days of filing. The developer argues that AB 2011 prevents the city from delaying its review for consistency with "objective planning standards" until after deeming the application complete, per SF Chronicle.
Why This Matters
AB 2011, authored by Assemblymember Buffy Wicks and signed in 2022, was designed to streamline housing approval on commercial sites while imposing strict labor and environmental standards, according to Assemblymember Wicks' office. The law allows projects to bypass much of San Francisco's standard approval process—which can tie up developments in years of fights and litigation—provided they meet requirements including prevailing wages and affordable housing targets.
"We can't be spending 10 or 15 years on projects getting caught up in lawsuits," Wicks previously told SF Chronicle. "We're never going to solve our housing crisis if that's the reality."
The Marina proposal would replace a six-decades-old Safeway with a modern grocery store topped by 790 apartments, including about 86 affordable units. That's roughly six times more affordable housing than the Marina has added over the past two decades, as noted by SF Chronicle.
Political Firestorm
The project's scale has fueled intense opposition. The 25-story complex far exceeds the site's four-story zoning and was submitted before supervisors passed Lurie's "Family Zoning" plan, which would have reduced its size, according to SF Chronicle. However, state housing laws allowed Align to lock in development rights that exceed local height limits.
Mayor Lurie's spokesperson called it "a complete violation of the spirit" of the Family Zoning work. "Our administration will stand up firmly to developers that game the system, and we will pull every lever we can to make this a project that works for this neighborhood and our city," Charles Lutvak told SF Chronicle.
Supervisor Sherrill has been equally critical. "Over the past year, I worked closely with neighborhood groups and residents who want to shape the future of housing in San Francisco," he said, as reported by SF Chronicle. "Align never participated in those conversations and instead chose to move forward without community engagement."
Align's spokesperson countered that representatives have met with Sherrill, including as recently as this week, and noted the site was identified in multiple Housing Elements as suitable for low-income housing, per SF Chronicle.
Union Leaders Weigh In
Despite the political opposition, union leaders are backing the project enthusiastically. Rudy Gonzalez, secretary-treasurer of the Building and Construction Trades Council, told SF Chronicle that he understands City Hall's concerns but hopes the Trades Council can be a "grounding element in future conversations about the project scope and how it moves forward."
Gonzalez added that his organization has vetted Align and is prepared to stake its reputation on the developer. "We think the project is good and the developer is serious," he said, as reported by SF Chronicle.
Align has also confirmed it will work with Webcor as the general contractor on the redevelopment. Webcor has led large-scale housing projects across San Francisco, including Mission Bay's Verde tower and the ongoing Treasure Island redevelopment, according to SF Chronicle.
Part of Larger Strategy
The Marina Safeway is one of four joint ventures between Align and Safeway to redevelop grocery stores across San Francisco. In recent months, Align has pitched comparable proposals: 1,800 homes in the Fillmore District, 526 homes in the Outer Richmond, and 370 homes in Bernal Heights, as noted by SF Chronicle.
Speaking to The Standard in their first on-the-record interview, Align founders Jason Chadorchi and David Balducci defended their approach. "If you focus on our Marina proposal, we are adding more than two times the housing, both market-rate and affordable housing, than has been added in the district in over 20 years," Balducci said. "Shouldn't a crisis of historic proportions be met with projects of historic proportions?"
Historic Building at Stake
The project would demolish a culturally significant building—the 1959 Marina Safeway designed by celebrated architect William Wurster that became the prototype for hundreds of Safeway stores nationwide, according to Hoodline. The store also achieved pop culture status as "Singles Safeway" or "Dateway," featured in the "Tales of the City" television series.
"It was the first modern Safeway and it's one of the best," San Francisco Heritage Executive Director Woody LaBounty told SF Chronicle. "They put a lot of time and attention into that design—the barrel roof and glass facade and that mosaic on the eastside."
What Happens Next
The project faces potential opposition from historic preservationists, environmental groups, and neighborhood activists. Some observers have compared it to the 8 Washington Street battle nearly 15 years ago, which inspired a "no wall on the waterfront" campaign that ultimately killed that development, as reported by SF Chronicle.
Align has not announced when financing for the project is in place or when construction could begin. Safeway has not announced when the existing store might close for construction, per SF Chronicle.
"We're thrilled to be using AB 2011 to create more homes and good union jobs," David Balducci, a principal with Align, said in a statement reported by SF Chronicle. "For far too long, the Marina hasn't done its fair share to build new housing—especially affordable housing. Now, this vibrant neighborhood will have hundreds of new homes alongside an expanded grocery store."
Whether the project ultimately gets built remains uncertain, but the union backing significantly strengthens Align's position in what promises to be a protracted political and legal battle over one of San Francisco's most prominent waterfront sites.
