The Housing Crisis Act of 2019 (Senate Bill No. 330; Senator Skinner) goes into effect on January 1, 2020 and expires on January 1, 2025. It aims to address the statewide housing crisis by limiting the number of public hearings for new housing developments and reducing the timeline for permit review, placing limits on permit processing, limiting fees and exactions, and making it more difficult for local jurisdictions to deny or modify housing projects.…

Effective December 16, costs for many office and laboratory projects in San Francisco are now higher. As we previously reported, the Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the more than doubling of the Citywide Jobs Housing Linkage Fee (JHLF) for such projects in November. The Mayor declined to veto the ordinance but instead returned it unsigned, expressing concern in an accompanying letter that the JHLF increase “must be done in a way that takes into…

Costs for many office and laboratory projects in San Francisco are poised to increase. On November 5, 2019, the Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a proposed ordinance that would more than double the Citywide Jobs Housing Linkage Fee (JHLF) rate for such projects. The ordinance now moves to the Mayor for consideration.…

In September, the California Legislature approved AB 1482, the Tenant Protection Act of 2019. Governor Newsom signed the bill on October 8, making California the third state this year to impose statewide residential rent control, behind Oregon and New York. The legislation also includes “just cause” eviction provisions.…

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 Fee (JHLF) rate for office and laboratory development. The ordinance now moves to the Board of Supervisors for consideration.…

San Francisco’s Community Opportunity to Purchase Act (COPA) became effective earlier this month but the Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development (MOHCD) has clarified that sellers of multi-family residential rental properties and certain vacant lots in San Francisco will not be required to comply until September 3, 2019 (90 days after the effective date). That date is the deadline for MOHCD to release a formal implementation program, including a list of “Qualified Nonprofits” that…

Two affordable housing measures are currently proposed for the November 5, 2019 ballot: (i) City Charter and Code amendments to encourage certain 100% affordable and teacher housing projects by providing for a streamlined ministerial — i.e., no CEQA — approval process for qualified projects and (ii) an up-to $500 million affordable housing bond.…