General plan amendment fails; board advances 100% affordable density bonus program after amendment and delay

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors voted down a proposed amendment to the city's General Plan on Tuesday but moved forward on a related planning-code change to create a local 100% affordable housing density bonus program.

On Item 15, a general plan amendment intended to align the plan with a new affordable housing density bonus failed on a roll call vote, with five supervisors voting yes and six voting no. The ordinance would have made conforming changes to several elements of the General Plan, including the Housing Element and area plans. Opponents said the amendment as drafted was too broad and could grant the planning department excessive ability to allow future height increases across large portions of the city.

Supervisor Tang, the author of the local affordable housing bonus legislation, told colleagues that the general plan amendment was not a rezoning and that the Planning Commission and the Planning Code still constrain what can be built. Nevertheless, the board recorded a 5-6 vote to reject Item 15.

Because the planning-code ordinance creating the 100% affordable housing bonus program (Item 17) depends on planning-code changes, the board addressed that item separately. Supervisor Tang offered a narrow amendment to Item 17 to remove the portion of the 100% program that would have applied to the Northeastern Waterfront area plan south of the center line of Broadway; the amendment passed unanimously, and the board continued Item 17 until the July 12 meeting to give the Planning Commission a chance to make required consistency findings. Tang described the adjustment as a technical fix to ensure conformance with the existing General Plan in that waterfront area.

Mayor's Office of Housing staff presented a chart to supervisors showing projects already in the pipeline that could yield additional affordable units if a local density bonus tool were available; the office estimated immediate projects could yield roughly 200 additional units and that other pipeline projects across fall, winter and spring could add roughly 203 more units under a local bonus program.

What the board decided: Item 15 (General Plan amendment) failed 5-6. Item 17 (100% affordable housing bonus program) was amended to remove the Northeastern Waterfront area south of the Broadway centerline, the amendment passed unanimously, and the item was continued to the July 12 board meeting so the Planning Commission could consider consistency findings.

Next steps: The Planning Commission is scheduled to consider consistency findings; the board will reconvene Item 17 on July 12. If the Planning Commission makes findings of consistency, the board may proceed to final passage. If not, the item would require further amendment or referral.