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SFMTA adopts facilities framework and joint-development goals to fund long-term electrification and yard modernization
Summary
The board adopted a living Facilities Framework to modernize and electrify yards and a joint-development policy identifying a 25-site portfolio to generate revenue (with targets for residential and affordable housing shares) to help fund the work; staff emphasized sequencing (Potrero, Presidio, Kirkland, Islais) and close coordination with city agencies for rezoning and utility upgrades.
SFMTA staff presented and the board adopted on Feb. 4 a 2024 Facilities Framework and a joint-development program policy that together set priorities for modernizing, electrifying and expanding the agency's transit facilities and for using agency-owned land to generate long-term revenue.
Jonathan Ruher, chief strategy officer, described the facilities framework as a "living" program that balances modernization, resiliency and outreach. He said buildings alone represent roughly $1 billion in state-of-good-repair backlog and highlighted Potrero and Presidio yards as priority rebuilds. Staff reiterated the need to coordinate early with utilities (PG&E, San Francisco Public Utilities Commission) and other city departments to avoid costly delays.
Wade Wickriff, joint-development program manager, presented a portfolio of 25 SFMTA properties for further evaluation and said the policy will designate at least 50% of land at large sites for residential use and at least 25% of units on those sites as affordable — language intended to keep the program compliant with the California Surplus Land Act while preserving flexibility to generate revenue for agency capital projects. Staff said a prior analysis of a subset of sites projected a high scenario of roughly $40 million per year in long-term revenue and that conceptual capacity for about 1,000'2,000 housing units across priority sites had been used for preliminary modeling, but detailed site-level yield studies remain to be done.
Board members asked about sequencing, community engagement, the role of the mayor's economic development office and the pace of electrification aligned to a 2040 clean-transit target. Staff said Potrero Yard is a critical early project and that Muni Metro East, 1399 Marin and other swing spaces are being prepared so reconstructions do not disrupt service. The board also discussed ensuring staffing capacity to manage joint-development work and adding explicit community-benefit strategies and temporary-use options in the policy.
The board voted to adopt the joint-development goals and policy and to urge the Board of Supervisors to endorse the program; staff said they will procure consultants for implementation work, do deep community engagement at priority sites, and present specific project-level planning and approvals as they develop.
