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Land Use Committee forwards competing resolutions on governor's by‑right housing bill to full Board after hours of debate
Summary
Supervisors Aaron Peskin and Scott Wiener presented differing resolutions on the governor's by‑right housing trailer bill — Peskin urged exemption or amendment to preserve local review and prevent demolition of existing housing; Wiener proposed negotiating amendments to focus the bill on honoring zoning while maintaining design, labor and environmental standards. The committee sent both items to the full Board without recommendation after extensive public testimony.
The Land Use and Transportation Committee debated two competing Board resolutions responding to the governor's proposed by‑right housing trailer bill and ultimately voted to forward both measures to the full Board without recommendation.
Supervisor Aaron Peskin urged the committee to support amendments or opposition that would protect San Francisco's local planning standards, prohibit demolition of existing housing as a result of the bill, require minimum local inclusionary housing standards and allow continued public review for major developments. "Specifically, we would like the governor's bill to be amended… a prohibition on the demolition of existing housing, a minimum baseline for as of right approval, consisting of set local inclusionary housing standards," Peskin said.
Supervisor Scott Wiener, acknowledging the depth of the housing affordability crisis, presented an alternative resolution that calls for working with the governor to amend the trailer bill so it honors local zoning, retains design review, environmental and labor standards, and narrows the bill to address the core problem of projects being down‑sized during approval. Wiener said the alternative recognizes the need to produce more housing while protecting local standards.
The committee heard extended public comment from dozens of speakers representing tenant groups, labor unions, housing advocates, neighborhood organizations and business groups. Testimony ranged from strong opposition (tenant advocates, community organizations and some labor groups) arguing the bill would undercut local protections and increase displacement, to support from others (housing advocates, developers and some business groups) urging reforms to shorten delays and increase housing production.
Speakers opposing the trailer bill included representatives from ACE Action, the Council of Community Housing Organizations, San Francisco Tenants Union and numerous neighborhood advocates who requested amendments to preserve local controls and affordability levels. Supporters or those urging amendments included the San Francisco Housing Action Coalition and the Chamber of Commerce, who said the state proposal aims to increase housing production statewide.
Supervisor Peskin moved to merge his amendments into the record and to forward both resolutions to the full Board; Supervisor Wiener and other committee members discussed the wording and intent. The committee voted to send both items to the full Board without recommendation, and the meeting adjourned.
The full Board will consider the competing resolutions and any additional amendments or positions the supervisors choose to advance.
