Committee forwards ordinance moving North of Market affordable housing fees to citywide fund; expands Divisadero farmers market permission

Amy Chan of the Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development described an ordinance to abolish the North of Market Affordable Housing Fund and deposit certain fees into the citywide affordable housing fund. Chan said the change is an accounting cleanup recommended by the Controller’s Office, that there have been no projects paying the North of Market fee yet but the first fee is expected at year end, and that eligible uses would remain targeted to stabilizing and preserving affordable housing in the special use district.

Veronica Flores of the Planning Department noted the Planning Commission recommended approval with a modification to index the per‑square‑foot fee. One member of the public objected to transferring fee control to the Mayor’s office and raised broader criticisms about affordability metrics and AMI thresholds; the committee closed public comment and forwarded the ordinance to the full Board with a positive recommendation.

Separately, Planning staff explained an ordinance to allow the Divisadero Farmers Market to operate on a DMV field parking lot (1377 Fell Street) as an intermittent activity; the Planning Commission unanimously recommended approval. The committee took no public objection and forwarded that item to the full Board with a positive recommendation.

What happens next: both ordinances were sent to the full Board with positive recommendations and will appear on the Board agenda for further action.