Board affirms Planning Department—s infill finding for 1296 Shotwell after daylong hearing

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors unanimously affirmed the Planning Department—s infill determination for a proposed 94-unit, 100% affordable senior housing building at 1296 Shotwell Street after a lengthy public hearing that drew dozens of speakers for and against the project.

The 9-story building proposed by Mission Economic Development Agency and Chinatown Community Development Center would replace a one-story industrial structure and include 20 units set aside for formerly homeless seniors. Planning Department staff found the proposal eligible for infill CEQA streamlining under state guidelines and determined no further project-level environmental review was required.

Why it matters: Supporters said the project would create deeply affordable housing for an aging population that is increasingly vulnerable to displacement and homelessness. Opponents said the project—s height, density and lack of on-site parking require fresh, project-level environmental analysis, and raised concerns about cumulative effects on neighborhood services, circulation and the loss of production-distribution-repair (PDR) space.

Planning depar…