OCII approves $494 million FY2015-16 budget, aims to accelerate affordable housing

The Commission on Community Investment and Infrastructure approved its fiscal year 2015-16 budget on May 5, 2015, authorizing staff to transmit the plan to the mayor's office and Board of Supervisors. Executive Director Bohe and Deputy Director Sally Orth told commissioners the plan totals about $494,000,000 and reflects OCII's work across major development areas including Hunters Point Shipyard, Candlestick Point, Transbay and Mission Bay.

Sally Orth, deputy director, said the program-and-projects portion of the budget totals roughly $141,000,000, with affordable housing making up about 70 percent of that slice. "Our budget is approximately $494,000,000," Orth said, and she identified developer payments and bond proceeds among the largest revenue sources. The presentation noted $45,000,000 is included as a potential affordable-housing bonding item, contingent on state legislation and later commission approval.

Why it matters: the budget funds OCII's portfolio of ongoing and pipeline projects and authorizes staff to respond to timing changes as assets transfer to city agencies. Orth said the agency will continue to support the Transbay project via pass-throughs to the TJPA, and will carry forward debt service on redevelopment-era obligations.

Commissioners focused questions on housing type, outreach and implementation. Commissioners were told the agency's current pipeline through 2020 breaks down to about 83 percent rental and 17 percent homeownership. Orth described typical income targeting for units: many rentals are targeted at or below 60 percent of area median income, supportive housing targets much lower income bands, and homeownership units tend to fall in a higher AMI band (approximately 80 to 110 percent AMI) depending on project constraints.

Commissioner Bustos urged greater focus on homeownership and asked to see drafts of the six new RFPs the agency expects to issue to ensure local, minority- and women-owned firms can participate. Orth said those RFP drafts will be provided to the commission before publication. Commissioners also pressed for a stronger, uniform marketing and outreach template so certificate-of-preference holders and long-time San Francisco residents can learn about and apply for new units.

Public comment raised additional concerns about site selection and health risks. Francisco de Costa and other residents asked the commission to ensure projects are not sited on contaminated or flood-prone land and urged more accessible public materials for complex agenda items.

The motion to adopt the budget passed by roll call (4 ayes). The adopted resolution authorizes the executive director to submit the approved budget to the mayor's office and to make nonmaterial adjustments before submission. Orth said the budget will be transmitted to the mayor's office, then to the Board of Supervisors for hearings in mid-June, with a final city budget adopted later this summer.

Next steps: the commission will present an affordable-housing workshop and a portfolio report in the coming weeks that staff said will include outreach templates and detailed demographic outcomes for completed projects, as requested by commissioners.