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Board adopts higher school impact fees to fund facilities amid growth
Summary
The San Francisco Unified School District board adopted a resolution to raise statutory school facilities impact fees after a public hearing on a consultant study, increasing the residential fee by $0.67 to about $2.90 per square foot; board members sought a follow-up analysis on affordable-housing exemptions and were reminded the funds are restricted to facility construction or reconstruction.
The San Francisco Unified School District Board of Education on May 14 voted to adopt a resolution revising statutory school facilities impact fees after a public hearing on a consultant—s study of development activity and school facility needs.
Chief Facilities Officer David Golden summarized a study by the DeLinka Group that found growth in city construction warrants raising fees. Golden said the residential fee would rise by about $0.67, to roughly $2.90 per square foot, and that rates for office, retail, lodging, hospitals and other commercial categories would also increase within state limits. He emphasized that developer impact fees are a restricted fund used only for construction and reconstruction of school facilities, not for personnel or general operations.
Board members pressed staff for details about expected revenue and limits on use. Golden said the district historically collected between $6 million and $8 million annually before the recession and expected a spike in collections this year as projects moved forward; during 2008—11 collections dipped to as low as $1.5—.8 million. Legal counsel and staff reiterated that state law restricts fee expenditures to facility projects and requires annual reporting.
Several commissioners asked whether the board could offer a lower fee for affordable housing, noting the displacement pressures on district families. Counsel said senior-housing exemptions are explicit in Education Code language but that affordable housing is not defined by the code; the board directed staff to return quickly with an analysis and recommended language if members want to pursue an amendment to include affordable housing.
The board completed a roll-call vote on the resolution and recorded an affirmative result on the record; the adjustment will take effect according to the resolution and the notice and adoption steps described in the staff report. Staff said a copy of the report and the study were available for public review at the board office.
