Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Rules Committee hears density-bonus initiative to create family-sized affordable units; supporters and neighborhood groups clash
Summary
The Rules Committee held a lengthy hearing on a voter initiative that would offer developers density bonuses, a 10-foot rear-yard setback allowance and planning-priority to produce larger inclusionary units. Supporters said it would keep families in San Francisco; opponents warned it could accelerate gentrification and questioned who would actually afford the units.
San Francisco — The Board of Supervisors Rules Committee held a hearing Feb. 14 on a proposed ballot initiative that would incentivize larger inclusionary, "family-sized" units by changing density controls, permitting a 10-foot rear-yard encroachment in parcels zoned up to 85 feet, and prioritizing planning review for qualifying projects.
Supervisor Bevan Dufty, sponsor of the measure, said the initiative is intended as a modest, voter-approved tool to increase family-sized below-market-rate units without costing the general fund. "This is what I believe will be a useful tool but a modest one that will offer more family sized units in San Francisco through a density bonus offered to developers," Dufty said, citing city statistics that show the majority of recent BMR units were studios or one-bedroom apartments and that the share of households with children has fallen over recent decades.
Anne Marie Rogers of the Planning Department outlined the initiative's three changes and explained how it would interact with existing neighborhood plans and development-impact fees. "This ballot initiative…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
