206.8
AFFORDABLE HOUSING BONUS PROGRAM EVALUATION
San Francisco Planning Code · SF Planning Code § 206.8
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SEC. 206.8. AFFORDABLE HOUSING BONUS PROGRAM EVALUATION. (a) Within one year from March 22, 2015, the Planning Department shall provide an informational presentation to the Planning Commission, and any other City agency at their request, presenting an overview of all projects that request or receive development bonuses under the HOME-SF Program, the 100 Percent Affordable Housing Bonus Program and the Analyzed and Individually Requested State Density Bonus Program (“the Bonus Programs”). (b) Annual Reporting. The Planning Department, in coordination with MOHCD, shall include information on projects which request and receive development bonuses under the Bonus Programs, in the Housing Inventory Report. (c) Report Contents. The Housing Inventory shall include, but not be limited to, information on the: (1) number of projects utilizing the Bonus Programs; (2) number of units approved and constructed under the Bonus Programs and the AMI levels of such units; (3) number of additional affordable units in excess of that otherwise required by Section 415; (4) geographic distribution of projects, including the total number of units in each project, utilizing the Bonus Programs; (5) number of larger unit types, including the number of 3-bedroom units; (6) square feet of units by bedroom count; (7) number of projects with nine or fewer units that participate; and (8) Number of appeals of projects in the Bonus Program and stated reason for appeal. (d) Program Evaluation and Update. (1) Purpose and Contents. Every five years, beginning five years from March 22, 2015, the Department shall prepare a Program Evaluation and Update. The Program Evaluation and Update shall include an analysis of the Bonus Programs’ effectiveness as it relates to City policy goals including, but not limited to Proposition K (November 2014) and the Housing Element. The Program Evaluation and Update shall include a review of all of the following: (A) Target income levels for the HOME-SF Program in relation to market values and assessed affordable housing needs. (B) Feasibility of the HOME-SF Program, in relation to housing policy goals, program production, and current market conditions. (C) Requested and granted concessions and incentives, including consideration of whether the menu of zoning modification or concessions and incentives set forth in Section
206.3(d)(4), 206.4(c)(5) and 206.5(c)(4) respond to the needs of projects seeking approvals under the Bonus Programs; consideration of whether the elected zoning modifications or incentives and concessions result in a residential project that responds to the surrounding neighborhood context; and review and recommendation for additions or modifications to the list of zoning modifications or concessions and incentives in 206.3(d)(4), 206.4(c)(5) and 206.5(c)(4). (D) Geography and neighborhood specific considerations. Review and analysis of where Bonus Program projects are proposed and approved, including an analysis of land values, zoning, height controls, and neighborhood support. (E) Review of the process for considering projects under the Bonus Program, including a review of Section 328, the appeal process, Section 303 and other relevant process considerations. (2) Public Hearing. The Program Evaluation and Update shall be prepared no less than every five years, beginning five years from March 22, 2015, and may be completed as a series of reports and in coordination with ongoing monitoring of affordable housing policies, or feasibility analyses. The Planning Commission shall hold a hearing on the Program Evaluation and Update and any recommendations for modification to any of the Bonus Program. (e) Program Expansion Report. The Board of Supervisors directs the Planning Department and MOHCD to research, analyze and provide recommendations for further density and development bonuses for 100% affordable or mixed-income developments. The Program Expan- sion Report shall be published within one year of March 22, 2015. (Added as Sec. 206.4 by Ord. 143-16, File No. 160687, App. 7/29/2016, Eff. 8/28/2016; redesignated and amended by Ord. 116-17, File No. 150969, App. 6/13/2017, Eff. 7/13/2017; Ord. 202-18, File No. 180557, App. 8/10/2018, Eff. 9/10/2018) AMENDMENT HISTORY Renamed and redesignated as Sec. 206.8; divisions (a)-(e) amended; division (c)(3) added and former divisions (c)(3)-(7) redesignated (c)(4)- (8); divisions (d)(1)(A)-(B) added and former divisions (d)(1)(A)-(C) redesignated (d)(1)(C)-(E); former division (f) deleted; Ord. 116-17, Eff. 7/13/2017. Division (d)(1)(E) amended; Ord. 202-18, Eff. 9/10/2018. SEC. 206.9. 100% AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND EDUCATOR HOUSING STREAMLINING PROGRAM. (a) Purpose. The purpose of the 100% Affordable Housing and Educator Housing Streamlining Program is to facilitate the construction and development of 100% Affordable Housing Projects and Affordable Educator Housing Projects, as defined in subsection (b), in which Residential Units are affordable to Very-Low, Low, and Moderate Income Households. (b) Definitions. The definitions of Section 102 and the definitions in Section 401 for “Area Median Income” or “AMI,” “Housing Project,” and “Life of the Project,” shall generally apply to Section 206.9. The following definitions shall also apply, and shall prevail if there is a conflict with other sections of the Planning Code, including Section 206.2. (1) “100% Affordable Housing.” Residential Units that are deed-restricted for 55 years or the Life of the Project, whichever is longer and consistent with any applicable tax credit regulatory requirements, to be affordable to Very-Low, Low, or Moderate income households with an income up to 120% of the unadjusted area median family income (AMI) for the HUD Metro Fair Market Rent Area (HMFA) that contains San Francisco, as published annually by MOHCD. (2) “100% Affordable Housing Project.” A project for the development of Residential Units all of which are 100% Affordable Housing, up to a maximum overall average of 80% AMI across all Residential Units in the project. A 100% Affordable Housing Project may also include principally permitted non-residential uses on the ground floor, and non-residential uses that are accessory to and supportive of the affordable housing. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the maximum affordable rent or sales price for a Residential Unit in a 100% Affordable Housing Project may be no higher than 20% below median market rents or sales prices for that unit size in the neighborhood in which the project is located, which neighborhood shall be defined in accordance with the American Community Survey Neighborhood Profile Boundaries Map. MOHCD shall determine the allowable rents and sales prices, and the eligible households for such units accordingly. (3) “Educator Housing Project.” A project for the development of deed-restricted Residential Units all of which are restricted for the Life of the Project or 55 years, whichever is longer and consistent with any applicable tax credit regulatory requirements, to occupancy by at least one employee of the San Francisco Unified School District (“SFUSD”) or San Francisco Community College District (“SFCCD”), as verified by the Planning Department or MOHCD. At least four-fifths of the units in an Educator Housing Project must be deed restricted for the Life of the Project or 55 years, whichever is longer and consistent with any applicable tax credit regulatory requirements to be affordable to households with an income from 30% to 140% of the unadjusted area median family income (AMI), with an overall average of 100% AMI across all such units. Up to one-fifth of the units may be deed restricted up to a maximum 160% AMI for the HUD Metro Fair Market Rent Area (HMFA) that contains San Francisco, as published annually by MOHCD. An Educator Housing Project is also allowed to be a mixed-use development project with a maximum 20% of the gross building square footage designated for non-residential neighborhood-serving uses. (A) No units in an Educator Housing Project shall be smaller than the minimum unit sizes set forth by the California Tax Credit Allocation Committee as of May 16, 2017, or smaller than 300 square feet for a studio. (B) Any units in an Educator Housing Project with a rental rate set above 120% of Area Median Income shall have a minimum occupancy of two persons. (C) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Code, an Educator Housing Project with a Development Application filed after January 14, 2020, shall include a minimum of 50% of the total units as 2-bedroom units or larger, with a minimum of 10% of the total units as 3-bedroom units or larger. All references in this Section 206.9 to other sections of the Planning Code shall refer to those other sections as they may be amended from time to time after the effective date of the initiative measure enacting this Section 206.9. (c) Applicability. A 100% Affordable Housing Project or Educator Housing Project under this Section 206.9 shall be a Housing Project that: (1) is located in any zoning district that allows Residential Uses; (2) is located on a lot or lots equal to or greater than 8,000 square feet or, in the alternative, is located on a parcel or parcels that contains a surface parking lot and does not demolish any existing buildings on such parcel or parcels other than buildings that are accessory to the surface parking lot use, such as a guard station or kiosk; (3) is not located on land under the jurisdiction of the Recreation and Parks Department for the purpose of a public park; (4) meets the definition of a “100 Percent Affordable Housing Project” or an “Educator Housing Project” in subsection (b); and (5) does not demolish, remove, or convert any Residential Units, and does not include any other parcel that has any Residential Units that would be demolished, removed, or converted as part of the project. (d) Density. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Code, density of an 100% Affordable Housing Project or Educator Housing Project shall not be limited by lot area or zoning district maximums but rather by the applicable requirements and limitations set forth elsewhere in this Code, including consistency with the Affordable Housing Bonus Program Design Guidelines, referenced in Section 315.1, as determined by the Planning Department. (e) Zoning Modifications. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Code, 100% Affordable Housing Projects and Educator Housing Projects may select any or all of the following Planning Code modifications: (1) Rear Yard. The required rear yard per Section 134 or any applicable special use district may be reduced to no less than 15 feet. Rear yards shall be provided with an open area at the lowest story containing a Dwelling Unit, and at each succeeding level or story of the building. Projects located on corner parcels may meet the minimum rear yard requirement at the interior corner of the property provided that each horizontal dimension of the open space is a minimum of 15 feet, and that the open area is wholly or partially contiguous to the existing midblock open space, if any, formed by the rear yards of adjacent properties, and provides for access to light and air to and views from adjacent properties. (2) Open Space. The required common open space per Section 135 may be reduced to no less than 36 square feet of open space per unit. (3) Inner Courts as Open Space. Inner courts qualifying as useable common open space per Section 135(g)(2) may be provided by courtyards with no less than 25 feet in every horizontal dimension, with no restriction on the heights of adjacent walls. All area within such an inner court shall qualify as common open space under Section 135. (4) Dwelling Unit Exposure. The dwelling unit exposure requirements of Section 140(a)(2) may be satisfied through qualifying windows facing an unobstructed open area that is no less than 15 feet in every horizontal dimension, and such open area is not required to expand in every horizontal dimension at each subsequent floor. (5) Required commercial space. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Code, any required ground-floor commercial space may include Arts Activities or Neighborhood- Serving Businesses, as defined in Section 102. Ground floor commercial spaces accessory to the 100% Affordable Housing or Educator Housing Project shall not be limited by use size restrictions. Ground floor Arts Activities or Neighborhood-Serving Businesses shall be considered active uses if more than 50 percent of the linear street frontage provides transparent walls and direct pedestrian access to a public sidewalk, and are consistent with the Ground Floor Residential Design Guidelines. (6) Ground Floor Ceiling Height. Projects with active ground floors, as defined in Section 145.1(b)(2), shall receive up to a maximum of an additional five feet above the height limit, exclusively to provide a minimum 14-foot (floor to ceiling) ground floor ceiling height.