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Committee hears marathon debate on mayor’s ‘constraints reduction’ housing ordinance; item continued to Oct. 2
Summary
The Land Use Committee heard a lengthy presentation and heated debate on a sweeping mayoral ordinance to streamline housing approvals across San Francisco. Supporters urged speed to meet state mandates; opponents and tenant groups warned it would enable demolition of rent‑controlled units and silence community input. The committee continued the item to Oct. 2 for further amendments.
Chair Marina Melgaard convened the committee to consider a broad ordinance the mayor has called a ‘constraints reduction’ package, intended to implement parts of the city’s recently adopted housing element by reducing planning‑code requirements that the administration says slow housing production.
Aaron Star, manager of legislative affairs for the Planning Department, presented the ordinance and a bundle of mayoral amendments. He said the measure would create a “priority equity geographies” Special Use District (SUD) where existing controls would remain, while removing some conditional‑use and neighborhood‑notice requirements outside that SUD to speed approvals. Star said the changes also would standardize setbacks and open‑space rules, raise minimum lot sizes consistent with SB 9, and expand HOME SF eligibility and fee waivers for some 100% affordable…
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