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Planning Commission backs proposal to codify housing dashboard and regular reporting
Summary
Planning staff proposed adding reporting requirements — a housing 'dashboard' attachment to case reports, quarterly pipeline reports and an annual inventory — to track progress toward RHNA goals. The commission recommended approval with staff modifications to place requirements in the Administrative Code and broaden reporting scope.
The Planning Commission on June 28 recommended approval with modifications of an ordinance that would codify San Francisco’s housing-preservation and housing-production reporting obligations and create a public “housing dashboard.” The measure would require a dashboard attachment to residential case reports showing entitled units by income level, a quarterly production report to the commission, and an annual inventory tracking progress toward the Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA).
Planning staff said the city already produces three core reports — an annual housing-element progress report, an annual housing-inventory report (produced since 1967) and a quarterly pipeline report (produced since 2003) — but that these reports are not all mandated and therefore are not always consistently presented to the commission. Staff recommended housing-reporting requirements be placed in the city’s Administrative Code to align with existing monitoring provisions and suggested counting residential projects at all production stages (not only entitled projects) so the information better reflects development likelihood and entitlements.
Speakers from housing organizations and community development groups supported the ordinance. Peter Cohen of the Council Committee Housing Organizations said a dashboard would give residents and policymakers a real-time snapshot of how the city is performing against its housing goals rather than relying on reports every seven years. Chinatown Community Development Center and other public-interest groups urged attaching a one-page summary to all residential projects of five units or more so the public can evaluate pipeline activity regardless of whether a project comes to the commission.
Commissioners debated data presentation and policy implications, raising concerns that a dashboard could be misused as a literal litmus test for approvals if the numbers are interpreted without context. The commission asked staff to ensure clear titling, geographic overlays by area plan, and regular policy follow-ups to address how to increase production of very-low and low-income housing categories. Commissioner Miguel moved to recommend approval with modifications; the motion passed unanimously.
Staff will return modified language placing the rules in the Administrative Code and expanding the scope of projects counted. The commission asked for additional clarity about notice and data presentation so the dashboard serves as a transparent, civic accountability tool without being misapplied as a rigid approval standard.
