The Frisc

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Future City, Big Questions: SF’s Top Planner Sarah Dennis Phillips Join SF Planning Director Sarah Dennis Phillips and The Frisc editor Alex Lash to talk about San Francisco at this critical moment.

San Francisco’s new plan to open its western neighborhoods to thousands of new homes is a GO.🚦Now what?

Talk about it with @sf-planning.bsky.social Director Sarah Dennis Phillips on Thursday, Dec. 18 at Manny's. Bring your questions!

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Future City, Big Questions: SF’s Top Planner Sarah Dennis Phillips Join SF Planning Director Sarah Dennis Phillips and The Frisc editor Alex Lash to talk about San Francisco at this critical moment.

SF HOUSING PLAN APPROVED: Let's talk about it with SF's top planner Sarah Dennis Phillips. We'll be at Manny's on Thursday Dec. 18 to take YOUR questions and discuss the future of #SanFrancisco.

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Bayview Street Safety Project Delayed By 3 Complaints, Minutes Before a Vote Calls for more outreach surprised SFMTA officials, but they shelved the plan’s approval for now. Will it jeopardize future funding?

📣 UPDATE, BAYVIEW BOTTLENECK: After just three votes delayed approval of the Bayview Community Pathway in November, yesterday the @sfmta_muni Board unanimously approved the project. Read more on @unazurda.bsky.social's original story: thefrisc.com/bayview-stre...

SF’s Historic Plan for Thousands More Homes Gets a Green Light Foes keep warning about demolition. One plan backer called it “fearmongering.” Voters will hear a lot more of this in next year’s local races.

🏘️ NEW, HOME RUN: SF's #housing plan just won 👍🏼 despite warnings of mass demolition. Next yr, expect plenty of wrecking balls (or at least images of them) as the plan's foes challenge its supporters in key political races. More on the vote, demolition threat & politics 👇🏼 thefrisc.com/sfs-historic...

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We've moved to public comment, but not for the Family Zoning Plan. The time for that was during the Land Use Committee hearings the past couple months. We'll take that as our cue. 👋🏼 Have a good evening! Thanks as always for following, and *please donate* thefrisc.com/donate-s/

Incarcerated women in SF jail say sheriff's deputies recorded them during mass strip-search At least 19 women are accusing San Francisco sheriff's deputies of subjecting them to a mass strip-search inside the B-Pod of the San Francisco County Jail.

Finishing up new business:
- Walton wants to revive the reparations fund that went on the shelf a couple years ago
- Chen wants a hearing about the alleged abuse of women inmates in SF County Jail abc7news.com/post/incarce...

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Claude the Albino Alligator Passes Away at Age 30 Beloved Academy icon will be dearly missed.

Melgar finally notes that Claude died. This is the first we're hearing of this. We're really going to miss him.

Float in peace, Claude. www.calacademy.org/press/releas...

Just like that, we go back to roll call (introduction of new stuff). And @myrnamelgard7.bsky.social wants to tighten tenant rights in a state bill (SB 330).

Melgar also wants a stronger city platform for the rights of women. SF hasn't delivered many promises of resources, support, leadership, etc

Time for the vote:

The Family Zoning Plan passes 7-4.

AYE: Dorsey, Mandelman, Melgar, Sherrill, Sauter, Wong, Mahmood

NAY: Walton, Fielder, Chan, Chen

This is the 1st reading, ie, it needs a 2nd vote (probably next week) to go to the mayor's desk. Barring total bizarreness, it's a done deal

Now we wind our way, supervisor-style, toward a final vote. Mandelman first has shout-outs, especially around the historic preservation amendments that he offered and got approved. "I worry in a densely built-out city we'll lose some of the historic resources ... and we need to get ahead of this"

a minion wearing a wig and goggles is holding a gavel in front of a green curtain ALT: a minion wearing a wig and goggles is holding a gavel in front of a green curtain

It loses 7-4. Chan, Chen, Fielder, and Walton are the 4 ayes.

Mandelman: I'm willing to think about Chan's amendment in the context of additional upzoning next year.

Time for a vote on the Chan amendment...

Mandelman: Perhaps we took too much off the table and made this job harder. For west of Twin Peaks, he says, we probably went a little too light.

Then he says: Perhaps we can pursue add'l upzoning next year. That might give room for ways to take other units off the table.

Mandelman's understanding: the plan works as long as @california-hcd.bsky.social feels SF is making room for enough housing -- no matter how it gets there. As has been said already: What gets taken off the board must be put back elsewhere.

Some back and forth now on Chan's full rent-control protection amendment. Chan says "it's a policy decision." Mandelman is now winding into having the last word. He commends @myrnamelgard7.bsky.social for her work, esp. dealing with @california-hcd.bsky.social

@jackiefielder.bsky.social responds: density decontrol isn't upzoning. With a chuckle, Sup. Mandelman takes issue with that and implies that Fielder should check in with folks on the west side who don't want density decontrol across swaths of the Sunset and Richmond

- to those repeating the 20K #: We don't have granular data. The 20K # includes all sorts of 1 and 2-unit buildings, not nec. rent control. TL;DR: your # is BS.
- about demolishing rent control: @myrnamelgard7.bsky.social gets technical, also says claims are "deliberately misleading the public"

Now @myrnamelgard7.bsky.social takes on some, uh, misinformation:
- to Walton: No, this doesn't build anything. It creates the room to build. You have to create room before people make plans (and raise $) to buld
- to @jackiefielder.bsky.social: many rich nabes are in the plan.

Now the new guy. Alan Wong grew up in the Sunset, has always wanted to stay west side. "We need more housing opportunities" so people like him can buy homes. He appreciates the package of tenant protections that will move ahead. He's willing to work on amendments after the FZP passes

Walton is a hard no against the plan. Sup. Chen is also voting no. Now @jackiefielder.bsky.social acknowledges her district is almost 100% untouched by the plan. She also acknowledges how strong SF tenant protections already are. Unless Chan's amendment passes, Fielder will vote no on the FZP.

Walton: the plan won't create any homes near where the mayor lives. If Lurie still lives in Pacific Heights, Walton is ignoring that Pacific Heights has a few streets where heights will go up. The entire neighborhood will get "density decontrol" to allow more units per lot, even w/o height increases

Sup. Walton: "We shouldn't lose one unit" [of rent controlled housing]. He revisits the 20k rent control units in danger, which the @sfplanning.bsky.social department just said isn't true. Walton wants the plan to include actual sites and have actual funding sources. (Zoning isn't about funding.)

Daniel Lurie Warns of ‘Towers Everywhere’ If SF’s Housing Plan Fails The mayor and his allies are out to convince skeptics. It’s not just political theater. Just ask San Jose, Pacifica, and Walnut Creek.

@itsbilal.bsky.social is still speaking. He's going over the same ground as other FZP backers, including the penalties @california-hcd.bsky.social could levy against SF if the plan doesn't pass -- like a loss of affordable housing funds or the Builders Remedy thefrisc.com/daniel-lurie...