Board adopts multiple planning and housing ordinances; introduces hearings on ACA implementation, local hire report and transgender safety

San Francisco's Board of Supervisors approved a slate of ordinances and resolutions and introduced several hearings and resolutions at its March 26, 2013 meeting.

What the board approved: The consent calendar (items 1–9) was adopted by roll call vote. Multiple ordinances were passed or advanced: item 10 (technical amendments to planning and administrative codes and zoning map changes) was finally passed; item 11 (an ordinance amending the administrative code to approve exceptions to seismic safety loan program regulations to allow an approximately $2,300,000 loan for an affordable housing project at the Hotel Isabel, 1091 Market Street) was finally passed by unanimous roll call; item 12 (amendments to the municipal elections code) was finally passed; item 14 (designation of 320–326 Judah Street as a landmark under Planning Code Article 10) passed first reading; item 15 (amend the planning code to allow change of use to medical services on the first floor in the Sacramento Neighborhood Commercial District) passed first reading; and item 16 (amendments to the inclusionary affordable housing program in the planning code) passed first reading.

Introductions and hearings: Supervisors introduced multiple hearing requests and resolutions. Notable introductions included a resolution supporting San Francisco applicants for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA); a hearing request for the 2012–2013 annual report on the Local Hire Ordinance; a hearing request on the Department of Public Health's implementation planning for the Affordable Care Act and its implications for Healthy San Francisco and the Healthcare Security Ordinance; and a hearing request on strategies to increase public safety for the transgender community following reported violent assaults.

Other business: Supervisors introduced several small-business measures, including a fee waiver proposal for small businesses seeking awning permits (Supervisor Tang) and a waiver of the temporary street occupancy fee for Small Business Week (Supervisor Farrell). The board also recorded ceremonial recognitions and adjourned in memory of former deputy city attorney Mark Kurtz.

Votes at a glance (selected items recorded on the meeting floor): - Consent calendar, items 1–9: approved (roll call announced "There are 10 ayes" when taken). - Item 10 (planning/admin code and zoning map technical amendments): announced as "finally passed" on the floor. - Item 11 (seismic safety loan exception for Hotel Isabel, ~ $2,300,000): roll-call unanimous approval; clerk announced "There are 11 ayes." - Item 12 (municipal elections code amendments): announced as finally passed. - Item 13 (Mel Murphy appointment to Port Commission): confirmed, 7 ayes, 4 nos (see separate article). - Item 14 (320–326 Judah St. landmark designation): passed first reading, 11 ayes. - Item 15 (permit change to allow medical service use on first floor in Sacramento Neighborhood Commercial District): passed first reading. - Item 16 (inclusionary housing program amendments): passed first reading. - Items 19–20 (adoption calendar): resolutions adopted; roll-call announced 11 ayes.

Why it matters: The passed ordinances include both technical and substantive planning-code changes and a seismic-loan exception to support an affordable housing project; the inclusionary housing amendments and first-floor medical-use change were advanced and may affect neighborhood commercial uses and affordable housing delivery. Introduced hearings on ACA implementation and transgender safety signal upcoming oversight and policy discussions.

Clarifying details and agency notes: Dan Adams of the Mayor's Office of Housing answered questions about tenant protections tied to conversions from rental to ownership units and relocation benefits; the ordinance language would reference procedures for right-of-first-refusal offers to tenants and relocation expense standards from the rent ordinance, and was said to apply to buildings built after 1979. The seismic loan exception (item 11) was described on the floor as "approximately $2,300,000" for the Hotel Isabel at 1091 Market Street.

Ending: Several measures were fast-tracked without extended debate; the board also scheduled and requested hearings that will lay out additional oversight and policy work on local hire, health reform implementation, and transgender public safety.