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Commissioners forward rival housing-preference ordinances for redevelopment certificate holders to Board of Supervisors
Summary
The commission considered two ordinances to allocate inclusionary housing for holders of redevelopment certificates: a mayoral bill limiting preference to 30% of inclusionary units and a broader supervisor's proposal to prioritize those holders and extend benefits. After public testimony and staff analysis, the commission recommended both be forwarded to the Board of Supervisors for further action.
The Planning Commission heard competing proposals to give preference in certain affordable housing programs to holders of redevelopment "certificates of preference," a group created decades ago for residents displaced by urban renewal. Supervisor Mercarimi, who initiated hearings at the Board of Supervisors, urged a broad approach that he said should extend to children and grandchildren of certificate holders and to commercial jobs-housing linkage projects.
The mayor's ordinance, as presented to the commission, would reserve up to 30% of units produced under the inclusionary-housing provisions of planning code section 315 for certificate/voucher holders. The supervisor's proposal would place a broader preference across additional planning-code sections, including section 313 (jobs-housing linkage), and at times was described by supporters as an open preference rather than a fixed percentage.
Tara Sullivan Lanaine of the Planning Department summarized staff analysis and clarified differences: the mayor's bill applies only to inclusionary units under section 315 and sets a 30% cap; the supervisor's ordinance would extend preference more broadly, may not set an upper limit and includes commercial linkage projects. Staff said the mayor's Office of Housing and the Redevelopment Agency are working on outreach and on mechanisms to locate certificate holders; they estimated "about 5,000" potential people in redevelopment records though only a small fraction are contactable and actively seeking housing.
Public speakers and commissioners described historic displacement in Fillmore, Japantown and Bayview-Hunters Point and urged a program that would help descendants and provide wrap-around services such as down-payment assistance and job linkage. Supervisor Mercarimi said the aim is to "make good on the original promise" and to provide meaningful outreach and assistance rather than a symbolic preference.
Commissioners voted to move both ordinances forward to the Board of Supervisors and recommended continued inter-agency work to resolve technical details including outreach, lottery mechanics and whether the preference will be limited or extended to descendants. The commission's action was a referral for the legislative branch to weigh application and implementation.
The commission's recommendation is advisory; the Board of Supervisors and the mayor's office of housing will determine final policy design and implementation details.
