HOUSING POLICY

A Plan to Build 10,000 New Homes in District 8

Decades of underbuilding have made San Francisco one of the most expensive cities on Earth.

The competition for housing is fierce, and the people losing that competition are not the wealthy or the well connected. They are teachers, firefighters, working families, artists, drag performers, and baristas.

If we do nothing, San Francisco stops being San Francisco. We lose our soul. We become a city only for the lucky ones who arrived decades ago or the lucky ones who can afford the San Francisco of today.

We need a lot more housing. Of all kinds. In all places. For all people. And we needed it yesterday.

We need a bold and outcomes-focused plan measured by what it actually delivers.

Our Goal

10,000 new homes in District 8 in 8 years.

(That's more than 10x what we built in the previous 8 years.)

This is how we get there:

GOAL #1

Create a Market Street Housing Priority District
6,000 Homes

The stretch of Market Street from the Castro to Octavia is transit-rich, culturally significant, and underbuilt. Much of it is only two-story buildings. As the heart of San Francisco's queer community, it should be a place of welcome and belonging, and that starts with building many more homes here.

Create a housing priority district on Market Street from Castro to Octavia.
Dedicate half of the property tax revenue generated by new construction in the district towards building affordable housing within District 8.
Temporarily remove all barriers to building housing for eight years within this district, including impact fees, taxes, height limits, unit mix and inclusionary zoning requirements, and any onerous mandates that hold back development.
Remove and streamline building and planning code requirements that add unnecessary complexity and expense to projects.
Assign a dedicated strike team made up of personnel in the building, planning, fire and public works departments, public utilities, MTA, and the mayor’s office to facilitate speedy permitting within the housing priority district.
Create a six-month building permitting “shot clock” for all proposed developments within the district.
Remove barriers to demolitions and lot mergers within the district while protecting the city’s rent-controlled housing stock and ensuring that no tenant is involuntarily displaced.

GOAL #2

Identify and Develop High Opportunity Housing Sites
3,000 Homes

Across District 8, there are select sites (underused lots, city-owned land, etc.) that can absorb significant new housing while reinvigorating neighborhoods. By proactively developing these locations, we can build thousands of homes and preserve what makes San Francisco a city of distinct, walkable villages.

Identify a set of special potential development sites within the district that are large and underutilized.
Survey city-owned properties for development potential.
Use development agreements for each site that follow the same rubric as the housing priority district with an eye towards maximizing housing construction.
Similar to the housing priority district, have a six-month "shot clock" set for each site to get the permits necessary to begin construction.
Proactively engage developers, the local community, and necessary City departments to start construction on these sites as opposed to passively hoping they get built.
Dedicate half of the new property tax revenue generated by construction of these sites toward building affordable housing within District 8.

GOAL #3

Incentivize Turning Backyards and Garages into Homes
1,000 Homes

Garages and backyards represent some of the more underused housing potential in the district. Converting them into homes can support multigenerational families by creating a place for your children or parents to live, give retirees a source of income, and add new homes without changing the character of our neighborhoods.

Trial a new grant program for homeowners to fund garage conversions and backyard homes and explore tax relief of credits for anyone who takes advantage of the program.
Waive all permitting fees for garage conversions and backyard homes (ADUs) for eight years.
Ensure garage units do not trigger any code compliance issues for the rest of the home.
Identify barriers to garage conversions and backyard homes (ADUs) and work with the building, planning, and fire departments to conform to California state standards for eight years.
Stop increasing property taxes on homeowners for adding more units of housing.
Create and publicize a guide to help homeowners who need support building these homes.

What do you think?

This is a campaign built on listening and action. Let us know what you think of the plan.