On February 7th, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the implementing ordinance for San Francisco’s Transportation Demand Management (TDM) Program. Pending the Mayor’s approval, the TDM Program will take effect in March. What does this mean for project
Unfamiliar Terrain
Navigating the complex Bay Area land use landscape
Unfamiliar Terrain is a blog published by the law firm Coblentz Patch Duffy & Bass LLP that focuses on legal developments affecting real estate, land use, and housing policy, particularly in California. The blog covers legislative changes such as housing production laws, zoning reforms, and environmental regulations like CEQA streamlining. It also addresses issues related to commercial and residential tenant protections, public agency meeting procedures, and litigation strategies in land use and development. The content reflects the firm's expertise in corporate, real estate, environmental, and regulatory law, providing updates on state and local government actions impacting property development and management.
Latest from Unfamiliar Terrain - Page 8
Plan for the Extra Cost: Increased Prop W Transfer Tax is in Effect
As we previously reported, on November 8, 2016, the voters of the City and County of San Francisco passed Proposition W (Real Estate Transfer Tax on Properties Over $5 Million) increasing real property transfer taxes. Effective December 27, 2016, the…
State Density Bonus Law Debuts in San Francisco
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 40…
Senator Wiener Moves Quickly out of the Gate on Housing Bill
By Tay Via
Shortly after being sworn in as California State Senator on Monday, former San Francisco Supervisor Scott Wiener introduced SB 35, placeholder legislation addressing barriers to housing production. The legislation currently consists of a one paragraph intent statement, focusing on…
Bursting at the Seams: Expanded “Purple Pipe” Requirements
Existing on-site water recycling requirements for toilets, urinals and landscaping have applied to buildings of 250,000 gross square feet or larger in the Reclaimed Water Use Map (the “Map”) area since November 2015. The Map generally covers properties along large…
What We’re Reading | November 18, 2016
By Nick DuBroff
A roundup of news and articles the Unfamiliar Terrain team is reading this week:
“Versailles in the Valley” (The Economist): What do the new, monumental headquarters of Silicon Valley’s tech powerhouses say about them?
Housing is Top of Mind: Results of Bay Area Affordable Housing and Rent Control Measures
By Nick DuBroff
With rising housing costs remaining a priority concern for the region, affordable housing had a major presence on Bay Area ballots this November. As detailed below, voters in three municipalities and three counties across the Bay Area passed measures to…
San Francisco Election Results: Which Real Estate Measures Passed?
By Tay Via
Prior to the November 8 election, we reported on the long list of local propositions on the San Francisco ballot, including a number of measures impacting real estate taxes, land use and governance. The results were of course eclipsed by national…
A Plethora of Propositions: Real Estate Tax, Land Use and Governance on the San Francisco Ballot
By Tay Via
Admittedly the issues may appear benign compared to the Presidential race and the drugs, sex and other provocative topics on the state ballot. But San Francisco voters again face a long list of significant local propositions on November 8th, and…
Prop X Would Impose New PDR Replacement Requirements in SoMa and the Mission
By Dan Gershwin
Production, Distribution, and Repair (PDR) space is a hot commodity in San Francisco. Over the past few years, numerous organizations, policymakers, and elected officials have been engaged in efforts to preserve existing and create new PDR, community, and arts spaces,…