Senate Bill (SB) 1227, introduced by Senator Scott Wiener on February 15, 2024, would help speed the recovery of downtown San Francisco by creating a new CEQA exemption for qualifying commercial, institutional, student...more
A roundup of news and multimedia from the Unfamiliar Terrain team: San Francisco - San Francisco Office Market Shows Signs of Life (Wall Street Journal): Sales slowly materialize as some sellers accept lower prices,...more
In response to Mayor London Breed’s recent Executive Directive, titled “Housing For All,” on May 4, 2023, the San Francisco Planning Commission voted to recommend that the Board of Supervisors approve a package of Planning...more
A roundup of news and multimedia from the Unfamiliar Terrain team: San Francisco - Housing Wonks on a Mission to Shorten S.F.’s Permitting Process (Fixing Our City Podcast): Assemblymember Matt Haney and YIMBY...more
There has been a flurry of recent legislation to encourage the repurposing of underutilized office buildings, both on the state and local level. New legislation recently proposed in San Francisco would facilitate the...more
A Court of Appeal held that the state’s density bonus law (Gov’t Code § 65915) does not require applicants to submit financial information to support requests for incentives or waivers and preempted a city ordinance that...more
Looking to escape ‘endless’ litigation, L.A. is open to federal oversight for homelessness - Bullet Los Angeles Times – April 25 - The Los Angeles City Council has authorized City Attorney Mike Feuer to begin discussions...more
On March 3, San Francisco voters will consider Proposition E (“San Francisco Balanced Development Act”), which links the City’s “Proposition M” office allocation scheme, originally approved by voters in 1986, to affordable...more
The San Francisco Jobs Housing Linkage Fee (JHLF) is set to more than double under the “Housing for SF Workers” ordinance recently passed by the San Francisco Board of Supervisors (Ordinance). Mayor London Breed refused to...more
On January 1, 2020, several housing-related bills recently signed into law by the Governor take effect. We will explain the upcoming changes in housing law through a series of updates. Our first update provided information...more
Costs for many non-residential developments in San Francisco are poised to increase. On September 19, 2019, the Planning Commission approved a proposed ordinance that would more than double the City-wide Jobs Housing Linkage...more
On July 11, 2017, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors finally voted to adopt sweeping (and complex) changes to the City’s Inclusionary Affordable Housing program.....more
L.A. to Legalize Residential Units Previously Created in Violation of Building Code - On May 10, 2017, the Los Angeles City Council unanimously approved an ordinance that would permit previously unapproved dwelling...more
Is the City another step closer to sorting out inclusionary housing requirements and implementation of Proposition C? Board of Supervisors members have introduced two competing ordinances that seek to call the question...more
The San Francisco Planning Commission took a major step on December 8, 2016, by approving the first market rate housing project to utilize the State Density Bonus law. The State law, which has been in effect for almost...more