Board hears Candlestick Point, Hunters Point plan amendments; public hearing filed and vote to continue for responses to objections

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors on Oct. 22 held a public hearing on proposed amendments to the Bayview Hunters Point and Hunters Point Shipyard redevelopment plans and a related amendment to the tax-increment allocation pledge, but deferred final action to allow the Office of Community Investment and Infrastructure (OCII) to respond to written objections.

OCII Director Nate Kaslowski told the board the amendments would “keep the community’s needs and vision at the forefront” and provide financing certainty needed to begin construction at Candlestick Point while the Navy’s cleanup delays development at Shipyard Phase 2. “This is not just another development. This is a legacy project that reflects the very best of what we can achieve,” Kaslowski said.

The package before the board would: extend redevelopment time limits and debt-repayment windows; increase the projects’ maximum bonded indebtedness; and transfer about 2,050,000 square feet of research-and-development (R&D) entitlement from Shipyard Phase 2 to Candlestick Point so Candlestick can pursue an innovation/R&D district while some Shipyard parcels remain in Navy remediation. OCII staff said Candlestick’s plan would provide roughly 7,200 homes overall, with 32% of that housing affordable and a Candlestick-specific affordability rate near 34%. Senior OCII project manager Lila Hussain told the board she has “been working on this project for close to a decade now.”

The Budget and Legislative Analyst’s Nick Menard summarized the fiscal effects and performance concerns. “The amendments also allow a transfer of 2,050,000 square feet of research and development land use from the shipyard to the Candlestick project area,” Menard said, and noted the BLA’s view that development of the overall program has been severely delayed since the original 2010 plan. The BLA report also flagged alternatives the board could consider, including re-procuring a master developer or deferring approval of the Shipyard plan until performance milestones are met.

Representatives of the master developer 5Point and project partner Lennar urged approval so construction and related job creation can begin; 5Point’s Suhail Tota asked the board’s “support and your vote to move this project forward.” Supporters from unions, neighborhood groups and community organizations urged the board to approve the amendments, stressing local-hire commitments, affordable units, childcare space and local contractor participation. Several artists, tenants and arts organizations said they want protections for existing live-work artist spaces at the Shipyard and asked for explicit commitments in any approvals.

After public testimony, Supervisor Walton moved to continue the legislative items that implement the plan amendments so OCII can respond to outstanding written objections that, under state law, OCII must address before final action. Deputy City Attorney Russell explained the legal requirement that OCII respond to those objections. The motion to continue items 23–25 to the board’s next meeting was seconded by Supervisor Mandelmann and took place without objection; for now the board closed the public comment record on item 22 and filed the hearing.

What’s next: OCII will prepare formal responses to the written objections and return to the board with those responses and any revised documents. The item remains before the board for final action on subsequent agendas.

Votes and formal actions - Motion to continue items 23–25 (to allow OCII to respond to written objections): moved by Supervisor Walton, seconded by Supervisor Mandelmann; taken without objection; outcome: continued/postponed to the next board meeting.

Speakers quoted - Nate Kaslowski, OCII Director: “This is not just another development. This is a legacy project that reflects the very best of what we can achieve.” - Lila Hussain, Senior Project Manager, OCII: “I’ve been working on this project for close to a decade now.” - Nick Menard, Budget and Legislative Analyst: “The amendments also allow a transfer of 2,050,000 square feet of research and development land use from the shipyard to the Candlestick project area.”

Context and significance The amendments are intended to let Candlestick proceed while Shipyard Phase 2 remains delayed by Navy remediation and legal proceedings related to a contractor’s fraud. OCII described the proposals as necessary to preserve tax-increment financing tools that would reimburse developer-built public infrastructure and deliver parks, affordable housing and jobs in the Southeast. Opponents and some community members said the city should insist on stronger accountability, community benefit payment schedules and explicit protections for current Shipyard artists and residents before extending major financing tools.

Provenance (transcript evidence) - topicintro: OCII presentation introducing items 22–25 (transcript excerpt: “Yes. Item 22 is the board of supervisors sitting as a committee of the whole as the budget and finance committee … Item 22 is a public hearing…”) (block_id: "transcript:5220.77", local_start:0, local_end:256, evidence_excerpt:"Yes. Item 22 is the board of supervisors sitting as a committee of the whole as the budget and finance committee, which encompasses items 22 through 25, scheduled pursuant to a motion approved on 09/17/2024. Item 22 is a public hearing of a person's interested, in items 23, 20 4, and 25, an ordinance for the proposed amendment to the redevelopment plan for the Bayview Hunters Point Shipyard redevelopment project area.") - topfinish: Deputy city attorney recommending continuation to allow OCII response to objections (block_id: "transcript:12007.76", local_start:0, local_end:110, evidence_excerpt:"Good evening, supervisors. Deputy city attorney Bridal Russsey. The board has received written objections to the redevelopment plan amendments, And under state law, OCII must respond to those objections... I recommend that supervisor Walton ... continue the items to next Tuesday's meeting so that you consider the objections and the response before moving forward with these items.")