Planning staff previews Affordable Housing Bonus Program, projects up to 16,000 units possible

Planning Department staff presented an informational briefing on Dec. 16 on the Affordable Housing Bonus Program, designed to use state density bonus law and local incentives to encourage on-site affordable housing without public subsidy.

Monica Mohan, planning staff, told the Historic Preservation Commission the AHBP has four goals: incentivize more on-site affordable units, improve feasibility of underutilized sites, establish a middle-income program, and facilitate 100% affordable projects. She said the state density bonus law permits up to a 35 percent density increase and up to three zoning incentives; the local program adapts those limits to San Francisco’s context and adds a separate local track that would allow projects providing 30 percent on-site affordability to request up to two extra stories and three incentives from a menu crafted by staff.

Paolo Kizzoy, planning staff, outlined where the program would apply and the projected outcomes. He said the program area covers…