Sandra Drattler critiques San Francisco housing narratives at planning commission meeting

In a recent meeting of the San Francisco Planning Commission, discussions centered around the complexities of housing permits and community processes, highlighting the ongoing challenges in the city's development landscape. The meeting featured public comments that aimed to clarify misconceptions about the role of community input in housing development.

Sandra Drattler, representing Faith in Action at St. James and the San Francisco Land Use Coalition, presented data that challenged the prevailing narrative suggesting that community processes are primarily responsible for hindering housing development. Drattler emphasized that a significant majority of permits—over 82% from 2018 to 2020—were processed without requiring conditional use (CU) or discretionary review (DR) hearings. This statistic suggests that the community's involvement may not be as obstructive as often portrayed.

Drattler's analysis revealed that many of the conditional use permits were related to changes in business use or legalizing previously unpermitted activities, rather than new housing developments. She pointed out that the majority of DRs filed against single-family homes were for expansions rather than the addition of new units, indicating a focus on modifying existing structures rather than increasing housing stock.

The discussion also touched on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, which significantly slowed development activities starting in 2020. This slowdown has further complicated the narrative around housing availability and community engagement.

Overall, the meeting underscored the need for a nuanced understanding of the factors influencing housing development in San Francisco. As the city grapples with housing shortages, the insights shared by Drattler and others may inform future discussions on how to balance community input with the urgent need for more housing solutions. The commission's next steps will likely involve further examination of these data points and their implications for future planning and development policies.