San Francisco Board of Supervisors Considers Restricting Construction of Market Rate Housing in the Central City and SOMA When Not Enough Affordable Housing is Being Built
In this so-called "Housing Balance Special Use District (SUD)", an area which also covers the Tenderloin and Treasure Island, a Planning Commission Conditional Use Permit hearing will be required should the ratio of new market rate housing to new affordable housing in these areas exceed 70% to 30%; a Conditional Use Permit hearing is not always required now.
Statistics show that since records on production of housing in these areas started being kept in 2006, new housing production has already resulted in a 70/30 ratio, and the legislative sponsors wish to preserve this. In order to approve a particular project should this law pass, the Commission will have to consider the following criteria: (1) whether the project has a beneficial effect despite any potential adverse impact on affordable housing and any potential adverse impact on displacement of lower income households in these areas; (2) whether the market rate project will exacerbate the displacement of very low, low or moderate income households from the SUD; (3) whether allowing the use will substantially hamper the location or viability of affordable housing in these areas; (4) whether the proposed project mitigates any potential adverse impacts on preserving the mixed income character of these areas; and (5) the extent to which the project will affect the 70/30 ratio.
This ordinance is pending in the Land Use and Economic Development Committee and is expected to go before the Planning Commission in the next 45 days.
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