SAN FRANCISCO (CN) — San Francisco Mayor London Breed signed a major housing law Friday that will eliminate barriers and speed up the housing approval process in the city.
The Housing Constraints legislation amends San Francisco’s planning code to eliminate unnecessary hearings and processes, eliminate specific code requirements and geographic restrictions, and expand housing incentive programs for new housing that fits within the city’s zoning laws.
Breed signed the Housing Constraints legislation in her office, joined by state Senator Scott Weiner, Supervisors Matt Dorsey and Myrna Melgar, and various housing groups that supported the legislation.
The legislation is seen an important component of Breed’s ambitious Housing for All Plan, which aims to have 82,000 new homes built in San Francisco by 2031.
“The passage and signing of this law is a huge victory for all those fighting for more housing in San Francisco,” Breed said. “We are breaking down the barriers that get in the way of the new homes we so badly need. But to be clear — this is only one step in a long process. Fundamental change requires us to remain committed to real and lasting reforms, and that’s the focus of Housing for All. We will make San Francisco a leader when it comes to housing and, more importantly, a more affordable city for all.”
The passage of the legislation comes as San Francisco continues to fight homelessness and affordability issues. A report from Gov. Gavin Newsom in October revealed that San Francisco’s housing approval process takes 10 months longer than anywhere else in California, and that many of the city’s practices were out of compliance with California law. The report included 18 required actions and an additional 10 recommended actions with implementation plans for the city.
State officials gave the city 30 days from Oct. 25 to approve Breed’s legislation streamlining the obtuse processes required to get homes approved and built in San Francisco. The Board of Supervisors approved the legislation in early December after adding protections for rent-controlled units and historic buildings.
In a press release announcing the signing, Breed’s office outlined the next steps for her Housing for All Plan, which includes the passage of density decontrol legislation, which will allow more housing on major commercial corridors throughout San Francisco. The legislation has been approved by the Planning Commission and is currently pending at the Land Use Committee of the Board of Supervisors, with a goal of hearing it early in 2024.
Breed’s office also said that Permit Center, Planning Department and Department of Building Inspection staff are setting up systems to implement new state laws that streamline housing approvals and permitting processes in San Francisco. Currently staff is preparing to implement AB 1114 by January 1, 2024. AB 1114 aims to close legal loopholes that are often used to delay or block housing projects.
The Planning Department is working to create a ministerial process for code-compliant projects so it is ready when SB 423 goes into effect in Spring 2024. SB 423 extends a state housing law that allows developers to skip much of the bureaucratic process for multifamily projects.
Breed’s office also said that city staff across more than a dozen departments will continue to work on process improvements to prevent projects from getting stuck in the city’s complex, interdepartmental approval processes, with the Permit Center taking on a greater role as part of this effort.
Finally, Breed convened an Affordable Housing Leadership Council to work with the city to devise a strategy to meet San Francisco’s housing needs. The final meeting of the Council will be in January, after which the Council will finalize a report and submit it to Breed for action.
Tim Iglesias, a professor at the University of San Francisco and an expert in housing law, called the legislation "a very significant moment for San Francisco in addressing its long-standing housing crisis," and noted the state's mandate.
"Both affordable housing advocates and property rights advocates have called for reduced regulation of the housing approval process for decades. This is a partial answer to those demands," Iglesias said. "As the mayor’s office understands, there is still much work to be done. And, as always, the devil is in the details of how these reforms will actually operate in practice. However, there is no doubt that this is a significant step in the right direction."
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