Affordable Housing Revision Tabled

Five of the six present commissioners voted for the recommendation on a proposed ordinance authored by Supervisor Chris Daly that would require residential developers to set aside more units of housing for low and moderate income San Franciscans. They said that they’d like to see more data before making a decision on the issue.

“Any of this math is going to have to wait until the study is done,” said Commissioner Michael J. Antonini.

Waiting would mean putting off a decision until at least July, when the Planning Department’s housing study, which will gauge the need for affordable housing in the city, is due. The board is expected to first consider the ordinance in March.

The lone dissenter, Commissioner Christina Olague, said that the city must act soon to stem a growing housing crisis.

“The need is really pressing. It’s time to see those changes now,” she said.

The ordinance would revise current requirements for “inclusionary housing,” or housing offered at below market rate. Now, developers must set aside 10 to 15 percent of new residential units at reduced levels, depending on the type of project and location of the affordable housing. The ordinance would raise that scale to 15 to 25 percent.

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