Upzoning (San Francisco)

on upzoning precedents, possibilities, strategies in the city of San Francisco. 
 

YIMBY Action Upzoning Working Group Letter (posted May 12, 2017): 

"It is time to up-zone all single family and duplex lots to allow for more multifamily housing in every neighborhood of San Francisco.
     For too long low-income and historically minority neighborhoods have been asked to shoulder a disproportionate amount of our city-wide housing needs. That injustice must end. It is time to build housing in every neighborhood.
     The city is already largely zoned for a minimum of 4 stories. Up-zoning to allow 4 units would only acknowledge the truth: 4 housing units can be safely built to code in almost every lot in the city – but only if we legalize multifamily housing. Our current low-density zoning incentivizes homeowners to add square footage (i.e. “Monster Homes”) without adding additional housing units. It enshrines a culture of protectionism and freezes wealthier neighborhoods in amber. Meanwhile, the city is breaking under the weight of a chronic housing shortage. This must end.

 

References

"Families pack up as SF rents keep rising": and a proposed solution." discussion thread on SFBARF (San Francisco Bay Area Renters Federation mailing list, July 2015. https://groups.google.com/forum/#!msg/sfbarentersfed/dKKHNIKj54Y/K_y1yuSw604J.