#impactfee Archives

Legislation Aimed at Impact Fee Reform Nears Final Approval

August 24, 2023 | Kaitlin Sheber

Last month, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors passed on first reading Impact Fee Reform legislation aimed to make development more predictable, easier, and financially feasible. The legislation complements the proposed BMR and impact fee changes our office previously reported on and will:

Reinstate the fee deferral program;
Escalate development impact fees by 2% each January;
Allow projects to lock in the type and rate of impact fees to be paid;
Waive development fees for a narrow category of projects; and
Adopt a nexus analysis that was completed in December 2021.

The Impact Fee Reform legislation is a part of the City’s efforts at recovery from the pandemic and is meant to supplement efforts to accomplish the policy goals outlined in the updated Housing Element that was adopted earlier this year. Inclusionary housing development impact fees are specifically excluded from the scope of the legislation, so would not be affected.

Below is a brief summary of the changes proposed by the legislation:

Fee Deferral Program

The legislation would reinstate and modify a Fee Deferral Program that expired in 2013 to allow project sponsors to defer 80%-85% of total development impact fees, except inclusionary affordable housing fees. For projects that opt to defer fees:

Generally, projects subject to a neighborhood infrastructure impact development fee would be required to pay 20% of the total amount of development fees owed prior to issuance of the first construction document;
For projects not subject to a neighborhood infrastructure impact development fee, project sponsors would be required to pay 15% of the total amount of development fees owed prior to issuance of the first construction document.

The remaining percentage of fees must be paid before issuance of the first certificate of occupancy. To obtain deferral, the project sponsor must submit a deferral request to DBI on a form provided by DBI before issuance of the first construction document. Fee deferral is not available to project sponsors that pay the fee before the effective date of the legislation. Projects subject to a development agreement would be eligible for fee deferral, unless otherwise agreed by the parties.

Development Fee Indexing

The legislation would replace and simplify the current method of annual fee escalation with a 2% escalation rate every January 1st.

Development Fee Assessment

The legislation proposes to freeze the rates of development impact fees as follows:

Additionally, the legislation institutes new procedures for assessing development impact fees when a development project requires a modification, renewal, or extension.

Development Impact Fee Waivers for Certain Projects

The legislation would also waive development impact fees for certain projects. Eligible projects that obtain a final approval before the effective date of the ordinance that have not already paid development impact fees are eligible for waiver. Waiver under the legislation is set to expire on December 31, 2026.

Projects in Production, Distribution, and Repair (“PDR”) Districts:

Within PDR Districts, projects that meet the following requirements are eligible for waiver from development impact fees related to establishing new PDR or retail use:

Located in a PDR District;
Contain a retail or PDR use and no residential uses;
Propose new construction of at least 20,000 square feet of Gross Floor Area (“GFA”) and a maximum of 200,000 square feet of GFA;
Located on a vacant site or site improved with buildings with less than a 0.25:1 Floor Area Ratio on the date a development application is submitted; and
Submit a complete development application on or before December 31, 2026.

Projects in C-2 and C-3 Districts

Within C-2 and C-3 Districts, projects that meet the following requirements are eligible for waiver from development impact fees related to establishing hotel, restaurant, bar, outdoor activity, or entertainment use:

Located in a C-2 or C-3 District;
Contain hotel, restaurant, bar, outdoor activity, or entertainment use; and
Submit a completed development application on or before December 31, 2026.

Authored by Reuben, Junius & Rose, LLP Attorney Kaitlin Sheber.

The issues discussed in this update are not intended to be legal advice and no attorney-client relationship is established with the recipient. Readers should consult with legal counsel before relying on any of the information contained herein. Reuben, Junius & Rose, LLP is a full service real estate law firm. We specialize in land use, development and entitlement law. We also provide a wide range of transactional services, including leasing, acquisitions and sales, formation of limited liability companies and other entities, lending/workout assistance, subdivision and condominium work.

SF’s Proposed BMR and Impact Fee Changes

July 12, 2023July 12, 2023 | Mark Loper

Late last month, Supervisors Peskin and Safai introduced long-awaited legislation lowering San Francisco’s affordable housing requirements for certain approved and proposed projects, as well as reducing impact fees. This week’s alert summarizes the proposal as it currently stands.

Changes for pipeline projects

Sponsors of projects with 25 or more units that were or are approved before November 1, 2023 and have not received a first construction document (usually the architectural addendum)—so-called “pipeline projects”—are allowed to apply for a lower affordable housing obligation, additional time to obtain a site permit, and changes to density bonus law compliance.

The affordable rates are proposed to be reduced across the board as follows:

Affordable housing fee. 16.4%, for both ownership and rental projects. If the project is in an area with a specific affordable housing fee, the applicable percentage is 54.5% of the rate for rental projects in the area or 16.4%, whichever is higher.
On-site. 12% for both ownership and rental projects, with 8% for low-income, 2% moderate-income, and 2% middle-income. For projects in areas with specific on-site BMR requirements, the rate is 54% of the rate for rental housing projects in that area or 12%, whichever is higher.
Off-site. 16.4%, for both ownership and rental projects. If the project is in an area with specific off-site BMR requirements, the applicable percentage is 54.5% of the rate for rental projects in the area or 16.4%, whichever is higher.

Project sponsors can also request an extension of performance periods for their projects up to May 1, 2029. The legislation does not require the City to extend all performance periods to May 2029, though. The current practice is for three-year extensions starting on the date of City approval.

The legislation has two “use it or lose it” provisions. First, the City needs to grant the request for reduced affordable rates by November 1, 2026. Because the deadline is not the date that the request is submitted to the City but the date of City approval, sponsors should make sure to apply comfortably before the end of the deadline. Also, sponsors need to get a first construction document—as noted above, usually the architectural addendum—on or before May 1, 2029.

Finally, density bonus pipeline projects are allowed to request modifications to the number and type of concessions, incentives, and waivers, as well as the number of affordable units. This recognizes that density bonus projects may need to adjust their compliance with the density bonus law if the project’s on-site affordable unit count decreases.

As noted above, sponsors must ask for a reduction; the changes do not apply automatically. Most projects will be approved by City staff administratively, assuming the Planning Commission agrees to delegate its authority. The legislation also would allow staff to extend the time to get a site permit, instead of going to the Planning Commission. Projects proposing “significant modifications” need to go to the Planning Commission, though. This includes projects whose unit count would change by more than 20%, floor area would change by more than 10%, and whose unit typology would change from dwelling units to group housing.

Projects entitled between November 2023 and November 2026

The ordinance would also reduce the affordable housing requirements for non-pipeline projects entitled between November 1, 2023 and November 1, 2026. The rates are proposed as follows:

Affordable housing fee. 20.5%, for both ownership and rental projects. If the project is in an area with a specific affordable housing fee, the applicable percentage is 68% of the rate for rental projects in the area.
On-site. 15% for both ownership and rental projects, with 10% for low-income, 2.5% moderate-income, and 2.5% middle-income. For projects in areas with specific on-site BMR requirements, the rate is 68% of the rate for rental housing projects in that area.
Off-site. 20.5%, for both ownership and rental projects. If the project is in an area with a specific off-site requirement, the applicable percentage is 68% of the rate for rental projects in the area.

These projects also have a “use it or lose it” provision: their first construction document needs to be received within 30 months of entitlement approval or approval on appeal, whichever happens later, and building permit approval for projects that do not require discretionary entitlements.

Permanent affordable housing changes

The ordinance would make a third and permanent change to San Francisco’s affordable requirements:

Affordable housing fee. For projects with 25 or more units, 27% for condos and 24.5% for rental projects.
On-site. 15% for projects with 10-24 units. For projects with 25 or more units, 20% for condos and 18% for rentals. Condos need to be 10% low-income, 5% moderate income, and 5% middle income. Rentals need to be 10% low-income, 4% moderate-income, and 4% middle-income.
Off-site. For projects with 25 or more units, 27% for condos and 24.5% for rentals. Condos need to have 12% low-income, 7.5% moderate-income, and 7.5% middle-income. Rentals need to have 12.5% low-income, 6% moderate-income, and 6% middle-income.
UMU and Divisadero NCT. Different Affordable requirements would apply to UMU and the Divisadero NCT.

Starting in 2028, the on-site percentage would increase by 0.5% annually, up to a maximum of 26% for condo projects and 24% for rentals.

Impact fee reductions until November 2026

The ordinance also proposes to reduce most development impact fees by 33%, so long as the fees are assessed by November 1, 2026, and the project gets a first construction document within 30 months of entitlement approval or approval on appeal, whichever happens first, or building permit approval for projects that do not require discretionary entitlements. Pipeline projects need to receive a first construction document by May 1, 2029.

The schools fee—which is imposed by SFUSD and outside of the jurisdiction of the City itself—would not be reduced. And any Community Facilities Districts (aka Mello-Roos assessments) will continue to apply to qualifying projects in areas such as Central SOMA and the Transit Center District.

We will continue to track this important piece of legislation and its eventual implementation. In the meantime, please reach out to us with any questions about whether your project qualifies for a reduction and how to properly ask for and receive a reduction in a project’s affordable housing requirement.

Authored by Reuben, Junius & Rose, LLP Partner Mark Loper.

Impact Fee Update

January 28, 2021January 28, 2021 | Jody Knight

San Francisco School Fees Expanded

On January 11, 2021, San Francisco issued the 2021 Impact Fee Schedule. One change of note is the calculation of the San Francisco Unified School District Fee (“School Fee”) as applied to multi-unit residential developments. The change would increase the fee on such developments by increasing the space in the building subject to the fee.

The School Fee applies to new residential developments and additions to existing residential properties of greater than 500 square feet. Although the School Fee is collected upon issuance of the first construction document along with the fees paid to the City and County of San Francisco, the School Fee is subject to its own calculation rules under California Government Code Section 65995(b)(1).

Currently, San Francisco applies the School Fee to “total habitable space,” defined as space in a structure used for living, sleeping, eating or cooking. The calculation excludes bathrooms, toilet compartments, closets, halls, storage or utility space, and similar areas.

Effective February 1, 2021, the assessable space for calculation of the School Fee for any new residential development will include all of the square footage within the perimeter of the structure. Space still excluded from the Fee calculation includes any carport, covered or uncovered walkway, garage, overhang, patio, enclosed patio, detached accessory structure, or similar area.

The change is based on a 2018 appeals court decision that settled the long-contested question of whether school district fees should be assessed on interior common areas. 901 First Street Owner, LLC v. Tustin Unified School District held that interior space outside of individual units, such as interior hallways, storage rooms, mechanical rooms, fitness centers, lounges, and other interior common areas should be included in the fee calculation under the language of Government Code Section 65995(b)(1). Based on this, the School Fee was expanded, which could lead to a significant increase in fees for projects anticipating paying the fee on the square-footage of the units only.

Oakland Eyes Increased Affordable Housing Fees

Oakland is currently undertaking a mandatory five-year review of its impact fee program. The focus of the review for many is impact fees for affordable housing. Currently, affordable housing fees are tiered depending on the type of housing proposed and the location of the property in one of three regions of the city based on the level of demand for development in that region. There is debate about whether the tiered system should be eliminated, as well as whether fees should be increased over the tiers.

Affordable housing advocates believe that fees should already have been increased to fund construction of affordable housing during the last several years of strong development. Developers have expressed concern that higher impact fees could stifle further development.

Officials and advocates are also looking at other aspects of the implementation of affordable housing requirements. Discussion is underway about how affordable housing is best produced, whether through construction of on-site affordable units or through funding construction of affordable units with impact fees. Also under review is the policy of collecting 50% of the affordable housing fee at permit issuance and 50% only after a certificate of occupancy is issued.

We will continue to watch the Oakland impact fee review process as it unfolds in 2021. We will also watch for earlier changes to fees spurred by the current debate.

Authored by Reuben, Junius & Rose, LLP Attorney Jody Knight.