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Endorsement Guidelines | Endorsement Review Process | SFHAC Action on Reviewed Projects | Requesting a Project Review | Project Endorsement Form | Endorsed Projects

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HOUSING DEVELOPMENT ENDORSEMENT PROGRAM

The SFHAC’s Endorsement Program brings a city-wide consciousness for more housing through broad-based support of development on a site-by-site basis. You can read our Housing Development Endorsement Guidelines below, or you may download them here (PDF). This document can be viewed with the free Adobe Reader, available from Adobe.

ENDORSEMENT GUIDELINES

Adopted January 2010

The SFHAC will consider endorsing housing developments and mixed-use projects with a housing component.  The following guidelines will be used to evaluate the project:

Land Use:  Housing should be an appropriate use of the site given the context of the adjacent properties and the surrounding neighborhood and should enhance neighborhood livability.

Density:  The project should take full advantage of the maximum unit density and/or building envelope, allowable under the zoning rules.

Affordability:  The need for affordable housing, including middle income (120-150 of median) housing, is a critical problem and SFHAC gives special support to projects that propose creative ways to expand or improve unit affordability beyond the legally mandated requirements.

Parking and Alternative Transportation: SFHAC expects the projects it endorses to include creative strategies to reduce the need for parking, such as ample bicycle storage, provision of space for car-share vehicles on-site or nearby, un-bundling parking cost from residential unit cost, and measures to incentivize transit use.
Proximity to transit should result in less need for parking.

In districts with an as-of-right maximum and discretionary approval up to an absolute maximum, SFHAC will support parking exceeding the as-of-right maximum only to the extent the Code criteria for doing so are clearly met. In districts where the minimum parking requirement is one parking space per residential unit (1:1), the SFHAC will not, except in extraordinary circumstances, support a project with parking in excess of that amount.

Preservation:  If there are structures of significant historic or cultural merit on the site, their retention and/ or incorporation into the project is encouraged. If such structures are to be demolished, there should be compelling reasons for doing so.

Urban Design:  The project should promote principles of good urban design: Where appropriate, contextual design that is compatible with the adjacent streetscape and existing neighborhood character while at the same time utilizing allowable unit density: pleasant and functional private and/or common open space; pedestrian, bicycle and transit friendly site planning; and design treatments that protect and enhance the pedestrian realm, with curb cuts minimized and active ground floor uses provided.

Projects with a substantial number of multiple bedroom units should consider including features that will make the project friendly to families with children.

Environmental Features: SFHAC is particularly supportive of projects that employ substantial and/or innovative measures that will enhance their sustainability and reduce their carbon footprint.

Community Input:  Projects for which the developer has made a good faith effort to communicate to the community and to address legitimate neighborhood concerns, without sacrificing SFHAC’s objectives, will receive more SFHAC support.

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ENDORSEMENT REVIEW PROCESS

The endorsement process is simple. Download a Project Endorsement Form here and sumbit it to the Housing Action Coalition. After receiving information about the project, a member of the Endorsements Committee will review the project according to our criteria and prepare a brief report and recommendation. The Endorsement Committee, made up of representatives from environmental and community-based groups and design and planning organizations, then makes a decision whether or not to endorse. In rare cases the Committee may elect to refer the final decision to SFHAC’s full Steering Committee. Typically a project review can be completed in one month, in some cases more quickly.  Developers are encouraged to request SFHAC’’s review early in the project planning process.

 

Outline of key steps:

1. Developer submits project profile and request for endorsement review

2. Reviewer looks at plans, makes site visit, talks with case planner at Dept. of City Planning or SF Redevelopment Agency, talks with project proponent, talks with any known opponents

3. Committee may request presentation by project developer/architect and/or organized opposition

4. Reviewer prepares and sends brief report and recommendation to Endorsements Committee

5. Committee makes decision on endorsement

6. Letter sent to developer

7. Further public support needs determined

Developers are encouraged to request SFHAC involvement in the early conceptual and design stages of projects.  The SFHAC’s final endorsement, however, will consider the community input process.

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HOUSING COALITION ACTION ON REVIEWED PROJECTS

Depending on how closely the project meets the endorsement criteria, SFHAC can offer a range of support, including some or all of the following:

1. An official letter of endorsement that can be used to publicly promote the project

2. Media/press announcement highlighting the benefits of the project and the Coalition's endorsement

3. Public testimony at hearings

4. Attendance and promotion at neighborhood meetings

5. Attending meetings with public officials

6. Publication of the endorsement on the SFHAC website.

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HOW TO REQUEST A PROJECT REVIEW

Please include the following materials and information about the project:

1. Project name:

Developer, Address, Phone, Fax #, email, etc.

2. Description of Project: 

Project location, existing zoning and General Plan designation (specify density, height, parking allowances), and applicable city policies

  • Size of site, number and type of units
  • Proposed price of units and number of units at each price level
  • Anticipated occupancy.  If families, indicate family oriented project features
  • Number of vehicular, car-share and bicycle parking spaces, design of parking facilities
  • Pedestrian amenities   
  • Access to local public transit, including intermodal accommodations     
  • Site plans, sections and elevations of buildings
  • Green building amenities, including LEED rating goals

3. Environmental Clearance

Indicate status of environmental review

4. Description of Surrounding Neighborhood:

  • Zoning and general plan designations for surrounding properties
  • Description of uses of surrounding area including approximate residential densities
  • Location of nearest transit services

5. Guideline Compliance:

Using the Guideline headings, briefly state how the project relates to each guideline

6. Public Hearing Process:

If known, provide public hearing timetable.  Please include a list of interested parties, both of supporters and any known opponents

7. Public Outreach Process:

Key issues based on any meetings or other communications with neighborhood organizations

8.  Planning Department or Redevelopment Agency Staff Contact:

Provide name and phone number of planning staff assigned to review the proposal

For more information, contact:

Tim Colen, Executive Director
995 Market Street, Suite 1525
San Francisco, CA  94103

415/601-1709 mobile
415/541-9001
415/431-2468 fax
info@sfhac.org

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ENDORSED PROJECTS

Approved

 

Project Name

Units

Affordable Units

SFHAC Endorsed

Approved
by City

1 St. Marks (See Picture) 240 48   Feb-01 Dec-01
2 Park Dolores 44 6   Mar-01 Jun-01
3 2516 Mission 21 3   May-01 Jun-01
4 1800 San Jose (See Picture) 18 2   Jul-01 Nov-01
5 Symphony Towers (724 Van Ness) (See Picture) 130 16   Oct-01 Jun-02
6 650 Eddy (See Picture) 83 83   Dec-01 Nov-02
7 Broadway Family Apts. (at Battery) (See Picture) 85 85   Feb-02 May-03
8 601 King St (at 7th) (See Picture) 224 170   Mar-02 Mar-03
9 1005 Market 43 43   Mar-02 May-02
10 Curran House (145 Taylor) (See Picture) 67 67   Mar-02 Jun-02
11 3130-54 Noriega (at 39th) 9 1   Jun-02 Jul-02
12 Glen Park Marketplace (See Picture) 15 2   Jul-02 Feb-03
13 Folsom & Dore (See Picture) 98 98   Oct-02 Nov-02
14 1168 Folsom (See Picture) 20 2   Oct-02 Apr-03
15 23rd & Harrison (See Picture) 54 7   Nov-02 Jun-03
16 40-50 Lansing (See Picture) 82 10   Jan-03 Apr-03
17 699 Second St. (See Picture) 112 13   Mar-03 Apr-03
18 Faletti Plaza (1275 Fell) (See Picture) 119 14   Apr-03 Jul-03
19 450 Rhode Island 168 20   Jul-03 Aug-03
20 Mill Building (See Picture) 76 9   Jul-03 Sep-03
21 690/942 Market (See Picture) 84 13   Jul-03 Jun-04
22 Bryant Seawall (See Picture) 138 16   Aug-03 Sep-03
23 Agesong Senior Home (See Picture) 56 11   Nov-03 Dec-03
24 833-999 Jamestown (See Picture) 198 24   Jan-04 May-04
25 800 Brotherhood Way (See Picture) 182 22   Jun-04 May-05
26 1905 Mission (See Picture) 24 3   Jul-04 Jul-04
27 83 McAllister (See Picture) 60 6   Aug-04 Aug-04
28 77 Bluxome (See Picture) 108 11   Aug-04 Aug-04
29 10th & Market 550 250   Oct-04 Nov-04
30 18th St. & Alabama St. (See Picture) 151 151   Oct-04 Jun-05
31 One Rincon Hill (See Picture) 709 121   Jan-05 Aug-05
32 1234 Howard (See Picture) 18 2   Feb-05 May-05
33 The Call Building (74 New Montgomery) (See Picture) 120 11   Mar-05 May-05
34 Armstrong Place (5600 Third) (See Picture) 260 260   May-05 Jun-05
35 535 Mission 273 46   Aug-05 Sept-05
36 Mission Gardens (1880 Mission) (See Picture) 194 39   Feb-05 Oct-05
37 5800 Third 341 41   Sept-05 Sept-05
38 3400 Cesar Chavez 60 9 Aug-06 April-07
39 10th & Mission Family Housing 137 137 Feb-06 April-06
40 9th & Jessie Senior Housing 107 107 Feb-06 April-06
41 25 Lusk Street 26 3 Oct-06 Jan-07
42 The Cooperage (900 Minnesota) (See Picture) 142 17   May-05 Jan-06
43 Tenth & Market Mixed-Use 719 86 July-06 Aug-07
44 Institute on Aging (at Geary) 150 150   Mar-04 May-06
45 25 Lusk Street 26 3   Oct-06 Jan-07
46 SFSU Masterplan 600 600   Aug-07 Nov-07
47 178 Townsend 83 10   Jul-07 Feb-08
48 2235 Third Street 183 22   Jan-07 Mar-08
49 2800 Sloat 56 8   May-07 Apr-08
50 580 Hayes Senior Housing 83 2   Jul-05 May-08
51 1266 9th Avenue 15 2   Aug-08 Nov-08
52 Pacific Terrace 38 Undetermined   Mar-08 Nov-08
53 1150 Ocean Avenue 173 26   Nov-08 Feb-09
54 Whitney Young Circle 24 24   Apr-08 Dec-08
55 300 Grant Street 56 Undetermined   Oct-06 Feb-09
56 Visitacion Valley* 1,253 Undetermined   Nov-08 Dec-08
57 180 Jones Street 37 4   Mar-09 Mar-09
58 Eddy & Taylor Street project 178 178   Oct-08 Dec-09
59 430 Main Street project 113 Undetermined   Mar-09 Apr-09
Total Units approved 9,433 3,112  
 
  * Approved by the Redevelopment Commission

Coming Up

 

Project Name

Units

Affordable Units

SFHAC Endorsed

Approved
by City

1 Washington & Drumm (See Picture) 120 14   Nov-02
2 Octavia Gateway 52 7 Sept-07
3 19th & Valencia 17 2 Nov-07
4 Daggett Triangle 400 80 Aug-08
5 832 Sutter Street 27 Undetermined Oct-08
6 900 Folsom 460 69 Nov-08
7 333 Harrison 308 36 Feb-09
8 899 Valencia 18 Undetermined Mar-09
9 430 Main Street 113 Undetermined Apr-09
10 1036 Mission Street 100 100 Apr-09
11 1390 Market Street 250 19 May-09
12 1400 Mission Street 150 150 May-09
13 Ocean View Villas 28 4 June-09

SFHAC Reviewed Projects in the Pipeline

 

Project Name

Units

Affordable Units

SFHAC Reviewed

Approved
by City

1 8 Washington 120 14 Nov-02
2 Pine & Franklin 282 Undetermined July-07
3 Ardenwood 150-160 Undetermined July-07
 
 

If you have any questions about these projects, please contact tim@sfhac.org.

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