Proposed affordable housing on DMV parking lot unanimously approved by San Francisco supes

SAN FRANCISCO – Moments after approving an expanded aim for inexpensive housing building on Tuesday, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors referred to as on the state to construct housing on high of San Francisco’s California Division of Motor Autos subject workplace car parking zone. 

Handed unanimously, the decision urges state officers to contact the DMV about changing their 98,061-square-foot car parking zone at 1377 Fell St. right into a one hundred pc inexpensive housing web site.  

The laws was initially launched by Supervisor Dean Preston, whose district contains the positioning. Calling it a “excellent alternative,” Preston stated the situation was a primary spot for inexpensive housing, provided that it’s a state-owned, surface-level lot that doesn’t compromise present housing or companies, and thus is cheaper to construct on. 

He added that the situation preserves the town’s aim of geographic fairness whereas constructing inexpensive housing, since it’s simply accessible through public transportation. 

“No extra excuses or petty politics,” Preston stated. “It is time to take motion to fulfill our bold inexpensive housing targets.” 

The DMV already had pre-existing, state-approved plans to demolish and renovate its Fell Avenue location whereas maintaining its car parking zone. However following a gathering with Preston and Assemblymember Phil Ting, the DMV and different state companies stated they have been open to contemplating builders constructing housing on the property. 

On Jan. 6, the DMV issued a name for builders to share their curiosity in leasing, financing and developing a housing web site that features a absolutely operational DMV Subject Workplace, together with no less than 110 areas of parking. Your complete challenge can be the accountability of the developer, with no first prices or subsidies from the state, past the accessible aggressive funding sources. 

This isn’t the primary time the lot has been proposed for use for housing. In 2008, the DMV lot was beforehand awarded to personal developer Construct Inc. to construct inexpensive items, however building plans halted after the corporate was “unable to make the challenge work,” in keeping with Preston’s decision. 

Additionally on Tuesday, the Board authorized a brand new Housing Aspect, which units bold inexpensive housing growth quotas for the following eight years. San Francisco is aiming to create 46,500 new inexpensive housing items by 2031.  

State Sen. Scott Wiener, whose handed legislation requires cities to dedicate extra land to housing than initially deliberate, stated this passage is a “daring step” to resolving the extreme scarcity in San Francisco housing. 

“A lot work stays to deal with the many years of neglect that created California’s housing disaster, however at present’s vote reveals how far we have come,” Wiener stated in an announcement. “Because of our work on the state stage, incredible advocacy, and state and native officers dedicated to altering our damaged housing system, cities throughout California are beginning to make up for misplaced time this planning cycle — even cities, like San Francisco, which have turn out to be synonymous with anti-housing insurance policies. 

In mild of the brand new Housing Aspect, Preston additionally launched a brand new legislation that will allow courts to intervene if San Francisco fails to fulfill its housing goal. 

If handed, the legislation would mirror the authorized penalties the town would face if it doesn’t produce satisfactory quantities of market-rate housing.  

Labeled the Reasonably priced Housing Accountability Act, the legislation comes after San Francisco solely reached roughly 50 % of its aim to create 16,000 inexpensive housing items from 2015 to 2022. 

“The aim right here is to not financially punish the town,” Preston stated. “The aim is to make good on our inexpensive housing commitments so working class individuals can afford to reside right here. This ordinance will permit a nonprofit whose mission is primarily to advocate for housing for low-income individuals to file go well with, take this out of the political realm and into the authorized realm, which sadly could also be wanted to verify our metropolis lives as much as our guarantees on inexpensive housing.”