Planning Commission approves HOME‑SF cleanup: clarifies approvals and narrows fee to hearings

On Dec. 6 the Planning Commission voted to approve amendments to the Planning Code governing the HOME‑SF program intended to align the approval process and fee schedule with the program’s original intent.

Paolo Ecosoy of the Planning Department described the proposal as a "cleanup" measure that clarifies that HOME‑SF projects proceed under Planning Code section 3.28, giving projects a single entitlement hearing and superseding separate conditional‑use entitlements except where voters have expressly required them. Ecosoy said the amendment would also narrow an administrative fee so that only projects that actually require a Planning Commission hearing under section 206 would be charged.

Staff proposed two technical amendments: 1) require that requests for parking in excess of what is principally permitted be considered by the commission as part of section 3.28; and 2) change a fixed sunset date for the HOME‑SF tiered inclusionary requirements so that the tiers remain in effect until the Technical Advisory Committee completes its review and resets rates, avoiding a potential gap in incentive availability.

Commissioners asked for clarification about concurrent proposals at the Board of Supervisors to eliminate minimum parking requirements and how that would affect commission review; staff said maximums remain in place in many districts and that requests to exceed principal parking allowances would continue to come before the commission. After discussion the commission approved the code amendment, including the staff modifications on parking consideration and tier timing, on a unanimous vote of 6–0.

The commission’s approval directs staff to implement the clarified procedural language and to reflect the agreed amendments in the final ordinance. The action is intended to reduce procedural confusion for future HOME‑SF projects and to ensure fee schedules charge only projects that require a commission hearing.