Last month, the Downtown Oakland Specific Plan (“DOSP”) was adopted by the Oakland City Council, with the DOSP environmental impact report being certified July 16 and the implementing Planning Code, Zoning Map, and Municipal Code amendments passing on second read July 30. The DOSP is intended to guide development over the next twenty years, to meet the projected housing and employment needs in Oakland’s downtown. The plan encompasses approximately 850 acres, and is generally bounded by 27th Street to the north, I-980, Brush and Market Streets to the west, Embarcadero and Jack London estuary waterfront to the south, and Lake
Property owners in San Francisco have a right to appeal the assessed value of their properties within a certain window of time and may request tax exclusions when performing certain work. Typically, the Assessor determines the increased base year value for the portion of any taxable real property that is newly constructed. The value of the land would remain unchanged when there is new construction. However, the cost of some types of improvements, including seismic safety improvements and accessibility improvements, may be excluded from reassessment if a timely request is submitted. Below is an overview of key deadlines and time
Looking to kick-start housing production in San Francisco, Supervisor Ahsha Safaí recently introduced legislation that would significantly reduce the city’s transfer tax rate – a fee imposed by the city on real estate transactions – for certain residential projects that satisfy a detailed set of preconditions. Specifically, the proposed tax cuts would apply to rental residential projects (including those subject to a recorded condominium map) that meet the following criteria: Include no less than 12% affordable on-site units, calculated by excluding any permitted density bonus units. Receive a Certificate of Final Completion and Occupancy (“CFCO”) on or after June 3,
On June 28, 2024, the California Department of Housing and Community Development released its annual determinations under SB 423 (formerly SB 35). Enacted in 2018 (as SB 35), SB 423 requires streamlined, ministerial approval for qualifying housing projects in jurisdictions that are not meeting their Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) goals, in exchange for providing a certain level of affordability in the project. Each June, the Department reviews permitting data from jurisdictions across the state and determines whether a jurisdiction has made sufficient progress toward producing housing for households at various income levels (i.e. lower, moderate, above moderate, etc.). Jurisdictions
This week’s client alert discusses three pro-housing bills sponsored by Bay Area legislators that are pending in Sacramento: Buffy Wicks’ AB 2011 cleanup bill; a bill adding a new streamlining option for converting commercial buildings to residential authored by Matt Haney; and Scott Wiener’s proposal to extend the performance period of certain entitled but not built housing projects by two years, and allow those projects to defer certain impact fees until their certificate of occupancy. For background, according to UC Berkeley’s Terner Center for Housing Innovation, over 215 housing-related bills were introduced in California’s 2024 legislative session, representing almost 10%
As previously discussed in a February 2024 Update, the Planning Commission has been holding informational hearings concerning its state-mandated implementation actions and zoning amendments identified in the certified 2022 Housing Element. The Housing Element was adopted in January 2023. Beginning in Spring 2023, the Department began working on four key Housing Element implementation areas: Affordable Housing Funding and Strategies Activating Community Priorities Housing Production and Process Improvements Expanding Housing Choice (Housing Element Rezoning Program) On June 6, the Planning Department updated the Commission and public on the Expanding Housing Choice program and coordinating with the Mayor’s Executive Directive on “Housing
