Housing Element Zoning Program

Eileen received a letter from the Planning Department that sent her to this page and a map that states:

Under state law, San Francisco must plan for roughly 36,000 housing units in the next eight years (2023-2031) to meet our city’s housing needs, on top of the housing units we already expect to be built. To foster more inclusive communities and undo the harmful effects of housing segregation and discrimination, the state requires that a significant share of new housing be built in neighborhoods with greater access to economic opportunities and services that can support growth, such as public transit, parks, retail, and community facilities.

Why do they keep throwing out different numbers? We keep hearing 80K housing units are needed. I distinctly remember Connie Chan whirling them down to the 36K figure at an early meeting on the subject of the Housing Element. Someone must confused. If you want the Planning Deparatment’s take on the Housing Element requirements and a few maps, go to this page.