On July 12th, 2016, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors passed a non-binding resolution in opposition to Governor Jerry Brown’s proposal to streamline the creation of new affordable housing in California. Yesterday, Mayor Ed Lee vetoed that resolution, sending a message to Sacramento that San Francisco understands and accepts its responsibility to build enough housing to accommodate its current and future residents.

The Bay Area has failed for decades to create enough housing. This is primarily because of an unnecessarily burdensome set of requirements that must be met before shovels can hit the ground. The Governor’s proposal is not just a step, but a substantial leap in the right direction. Under his proposal, any development that offers 20% of its residential units to low and middle-income residents would need only comply with existing zoning in order to begin construction. For developments that are close to high-quality transit, this threshold could be as low as 10%.

The Board of Supervisors’ resolution would not have carried the force of law. This means it would have served only to send a message to Sacramento that we wish to continue to artificially restrict the development of new housing. Even when this housing is supported by good transit, and even when it directly mitigates displacement through below-market-rate units, we still want the ability to say no. The Mayor used his veto to send a different message: that San Francisco will accept its responsibility to house all of its residents. We applaud the Mayor’s decision.

The ultimate passage of Brown’s proposal is no guarantee. The legislature has until the end of August to pass it. The Governor’s budget includes $400 Million for affordable housing development statewide, but this funding is contingent upon the passage of his proposal. Don’t let smart-growth opponents stop that funding. Call or email your representative today and politely insist that they support Brown’s housing plan.

Read Lee’s press release below: