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Planning commission backs code change to let affordable housing use some underused industrial lots
Summary
The Planning Commission recommended approval of an ordinance to permit 100% affordable housing as a principally permitted use on 24 underused surface parking and similar lots in the city’s SALI (service/arts/light‑industrial) districts, with staff amendments narrowing definitions and clarifying height/bulk provisions.
The San Francisco Planning Commission voted to recommend updates to the planning code that would allow 100% affordable housing projects on a set of 24 identified underused SALI properties, a measure supporters said could unlock scarce land for new subsidized homes. Planning staff told commissioners the change would allow surface parking lots and unpermitted parking sites to be eligible while protecting existing light‑industrial and arts businesses.
Staff urged three clarifications: drop an unnecessary height/bulk rezoning, replace the ambiguous term “habitable” with clearer language to exclude existing buildings (but allow accessory parking‑related structures), and confirm that both permitted and unpermitted surface parking could qualify. Bobby Lopez of Supervisor Kim’s office said the change is designed to create more land opportunities for affordable and middle‑income projects and that no displacement is expected because the sites are vacant or surface parking.
Advocates at the hearing praised the proposal. Sophie Hayward of the Tipping Point Community and the San Francisco Accelerator Housing Fund said the change would let philanthropic and nonprofit funds buy or use small sites for supportive housing without competing directly with market developers: “None of the sites covered in the proposed legislation would displace an existing PDR use,” she said. Peter Cohen of the Council of Community Housing Organizations urged commissioners to approve the measure to increase the city’s supply of land for affordable housing.
Commissioners and staff discussed the mechanics of implementation and how the proposed code language would handle permit histories and size limits. The commission moved, seconded and approved a recommendation to the Board of Supervisors that the ordinance be adopted with the staff’s suggested modifications. The motion passed unanimously.
