SEC. 419. HOUSING REQUIREMENTS FOR RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS IN THE UMU
ZONING DISTRICTS OF THE EASTERN NEIGHBORHOODS AND THE LAND DEDICATION
ALTERNATIVE IN THE UMU DISTRICT, MISSION NCT DISTRICT, AND CENTRAL SOMA SPECIAL
USE DISTRICT.
Sections 419.1 through 419.6, hereafter referred to as Section 419.1 et seq., set forth the housing requirements for residential development projects in the UMU Zoning Districts of the
Eastern Neighborhoods and the Land Dedication Alternative in the UMU District, Mission NCT District, and Central SoMa Special Use District. The effective date of these requirements
shall be either December 19, 2008, which is the date that the requirements originally became effective, or the date a subsequent modification, if any, became effective.
(Added by Ord. 108-10, File No. 091275, App. 5/25/2010; amended by Ord. 296-18, File No. 180184, App. 12/12/2018, Eff. 1/12/2019; Ord. 210-21, File No. 210868, App. 11/19/2021, Eff. 12/20/2021)
AMENDMENT HISTORY
Section header and section amended; Ord. 296-18, Eff. 1/12/2019. Section affirmed; Ord. 210-21, Eff. 12/20/2021.
SEC. 419.1. FINDINGS.
(a) Need for New Housing and Other Land Uses. San Francisco is experiencing a severe shortage of housing available to people at all income levels. In addition, San Francisco has an
ongoing affordable housing crisis. Many future San Francisco workers will be earning below 80% of the area's median income, and even those earning moderate or middle incomes, above
the City's median, are likely to need assistance to continue to live in San Francisco. In 2007, the median income for a family of four in the City was about $86,000. Yet median home prices
suggest that nearly twice that income is needed to be able to afford a dwelling suitable for a family that size. Only an estimated 10% of households in the City can afford a median-priced
home.
The Association of Bay Area Governments' (ABAG) Regional Housing Needs Determination (RHND) forecasts that San Francisco must produce over 31,000 new units in the next five
years, or over 6,000 new units of housing annually, to meet projected needs. At least 60%, or over 18,000, of these new units should be available to households of very low, low, and
moderate incomes. With land in short supply in the City, it is increasingly clear that the City's formerly industrial areas offer a critical source of land where this great need for housing,
particularly affordable housing, can be partially addressed.
(b) Target Area For New Housing. San Francisco's Housing Element establishes the Eastern Neighborhoods as a target area for development of new housing to meet San Francisco's
identified housing targets. The release of some of the area's formerly industrial lands, no longer needed to meet current industrial or PDR needs, offers an opportunity to achieve higher
affordability, and meet a greater range of need. The Mission, Showplace Square - Potrero Hill, East SoMa and Central Waterfront Area Plans of the General Plan (Eastern Neighborhoods
Plans) thereby call for creation of new zoning intended specifically to meet San Francisco's housing needs, through higher affordability requirements and through greater flexibility in the
way those requirements can be met.
New affordable units are currently funded through a variety of sources, including inclusionary housing and in lieu fees leveraged by new market rate residential development pursuant to
Sections 413 and 415; as well as City, State, and federal funding. Using these existing sources, the Planning Department projects that approximately 1,000 to 1,500 new units of affordable
housing will be developed in the Eastern Neighborhoods.
Recognizing that this number of affordable units is not sufficient, the Plans call for further measures beyond the existing inclusionary requirements and Citywide funding, including new
funding sources for affordable housing programs such as an impact fee; and new zoning districts in formerly industrial areas which require deeper affordability.
(c) Require