Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Affordable Housing Administrative Review topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Board eases review for 100% affordable housing projects, opponents warn of reduced neighborhood input
Summary
The board passed an ordinance on first reading to allow administrative review for fully affordable housing projects (0–120% AMI) while retaining options for discretionary hearings; one supervisor voted no citing reduced community review.
The San Francisco Board of Supervisors voted on first reading Feb. 2 to amend the planning code so certain 100% affordable housing projects can be reviewed administratively rather than automatically undergoing conditional use and a planning commission hearing.
Sponsor Supervisor Scott Wiener said the change is intended to speed delivery of affordable housing and reduce costs for projects that already meet affordability goals. The ordinance would allow projects that are 100% affordable to low- and moderate-income households (0'120% of area median income) to avoid mandatory conditional-use hearings in cases where they do not trigger other discretionary review. The change preserves neighborhood notification, design review by planning staff and the ability for opponents to seek discretionary review and a planning commission hearing.
"Affordable housing by definition is necessary and desirable," Wiener said on the record, arguing conditional use was an unnecessary automatic step for projects meeting affordability thresholds. He thanked nonprofit housing developers and community partners who supported the change, including Mercy Housing and Bridge Housing.
Supervisor David Chiu (noted in earlier conversation) and others supported the measure. Supervisor David Yi cast the lone dissenting vote, saying he supported more affordable housing but would not give up local neighborhood controls and feared the amendment could weaken design and community input. "Discretionary review places the onus on neighbors while having a conditional use process places that responsibility on the developer to be a good neighborhood partner from the get go," Yi said.
The Planning Department and City Attorney worked with Wiener's office on the ordinance, and the board affirmed the CEQA determination as part of the first-reading action. Recorders show the vote passed 10'1 on first reading.
Ending: The ordinance moves forward to subsequent readings and remains subject to further amendments; the board preserved neighborhood notice and the right to seek discretionary review, while proponents said the change will shorten approval timelines for projects that meet the affordable threshold and thereby help deliver housing more quickly.
