Mayor Daniel Lurie has secured a legislative victory with the San Francisco Board of Supervisors' approval of his Family Zoning plan. This move aims to add approximately 36,000 new housing units by 2031. The 7-4 vote reflects the city's intent to meet the state's mandate to address a significant housing shortfall, according to a report by The San Francisco Chronicle. The contentious discussions, which have unfolded over the last three years, seem to have struck a chord with San Franciscans across various neighborhoods—from North Beach to the Sunset—where resistance to development has historically been strong.
Supervisor Myrna Melgar, who played a pivotal role in shepherding the legislation, underscored that they are building a more equitable and accessible tomorrow with the plan's passage. Lurie's initiative rezones 60% of the city, yet is careful to leave out eastern and southern neighborhoods, such as the Mission and Bayview, which have already experienced a surge in development over recent decades. The plan's approval was crucial in preserving local authority over land use and securing funding for housing and transportation, as mentioned in The San Francisco Chronicle. While some progressives on the board expressed concerns about equity and the potential demolition of rent-controlled housing, San Francisco's planning department has indicated that such housing already benefits from multiple layers of protection.
In a contrasting report by The SF Standard, we see that the upzoning strategy targets areas of the city where development has historically been sparse, allowing for constructions of up to 10 and 20 stories in certain areas. The plan, however, preserves a four-story height limit in most residential neighborhoods, although it will enable multi-unit apartments to replace demolished single-family homes. Yet, the city economist's report suggests somewhat pessimistically that the rezoning plan would result in half the number of new units in twice the time decreed by state authorities. This seems to indicate a cautious or even muted outlook on the plan's capability to alleviate the housing shortage swiftly.
Noteworthy among the supervisors' amendments are protections for rent-controlled buildings, incentives for housing with commercial use, and preservation notices for historic establishments, according to The SF Standard. While moderates have successfully incorporated these provisions into the legislation, several progressive amendments aimed at diluting the plan were defeated. The plan's passage, however, does not indicate a closed chapter in the city's housing dialogue. San Francisco continues to pursue funding for affordable housing, along with a promise from lawmakers to explore additional legislative measures to combat the housing crisis.
Despite the Family Zoning Plan's perceived strides towards accommodating a growing populace, critics have hinted at the possibility of a ballot measure in the future to reverse the legislation. Small business advocates, such as Yolanda Porrata, have voiced concerns about the displacement risk the plan poses to workers and small businesses, as well as the lack of adequate funding for the significant expansion of affordable housing.
