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Commission extends fee waiver to legalize unpermitted dwelling units through 2024
Summary
The commission unanimously approved a five-year extension of a fee waiver to encourage legalization of unpermitted dwelling units, with DBI estimating roughly $660,000 in waived fees over the prior five years and about 300 units legalized to date.
The Building Inspection Commission on Feb. 19 unanimously approved an ordinance extending a fee waiver that helps property owners legalize existing dwelling units built without required permits.
John Murray said the waiver, which had a five-year sunset that recently expired, will be extended through Dec. 31, 2024, and will include additional reporting requirements to track who uses the program and how much revenue is waived. "So we are just, extending it out another 5 years," Murray said.
DBI staff provided program metrics: over the life of the program the department estimated approximately $660,000 in DBI fees waived, roughly 300 units legalized, about 1,000 screening-form submissions and roughly 500 permits issued. Staff said per-project savings from waiving planning and DBI fees are a back-of-envelope $5,000, a figure they plan to use in outreach to encourage participation.
Director Tom Hui described outreach efforts including bilingual assistance at an open counter, community workshops in neighborhoods like the Sunset, radio and TV outreach, and an anonymous screening form so residents can understand legalization requirements without immediately revealing their identity.
Daisy (Kwan/Quan) from Supervisor Gordon Mar’s office said the extension supports preservation of relatively affordable housing and noted her office discussed reporting refinements with DBI staff.
The commission voted unanimously to approve the extension by roll-call vote.
Next steps: DBI will implement the extended waiver, add the described reporting and use outreach messages (including estimated per-project savings) to encourage eligible residents and owners to come forward.
