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Planning staff says downtown has made gains but affordable housing remains a problem
Summary
Planning Department staff presented the Downtown Plan 5-year monitoring report (2002–2007), noting job and housing growth near downtown and progress on open space and seismic retrofits, while commissioners and public commenters flagged unmet affordability goals and new pressures from short-term rentals and institutional housing conversions.
Planning Department staff told the San Francisco Planning Commission on Dec. 3 that the Downtown Plan has produced substantial development and important public benefits, but that affordable housing remains an unresolved challenge.
Johnny Jaramillo, senior planner, summarized the 2002–2007 monitoring report, saying the Downtown C3 district contains roughly 40% of citywide employment and that about 12,500 housing units were produced in the monitoring period. He told commissioners that, on average, about 2,100 units were constructed annually during the reporting window and that roughly 25% of new units met state affordability guidelines during that period. Jaramillo also noted new privately owned public open spaces and near‑completion of seismic programs to abate hazards in historic buildings.
Brad Paul, a longtime planning advocate identifying himself as a founding member of San Franciscans for Reasonable Growth, urged the commission to document and act on new pressures he said are reducing housing supply. Paul warned that short‑term vacation rentals and corporate apartments may be removing units from the rental pool and estimated annual lost hotel‑tax revenue of roughly $3.8 million to $4.6 million under his illustrative scenarios. He urged staff to compile robust evidence that could be taken to the Board of Supervisors.
Commissioners and other public speakers praised the report’s depth but stressed its date range (2002–2007) predates the recent economic downturn. They pressed staff for further analysis of short‑term rentals and institutional conversions (including questions about the Academy of Art University) and for ideas to generate dedicated local funding for affordable housing. Deputy City Attorney Susan Cleveland Knowles and staff emphasized that some data limitations exist and that newer policy actions may be needed to meet state housing targets.
The Planning Department said the report is valuable as a long‑range policy tool and recommended further regional coordination on housing, transportation, and related services.
