San Francisco commissioners discuss potential office-to-housing conversions amid downtown vacancy concerns

The City of San Francisco held a meeting on July 4, 2025, focusing on the future of downtown and the impact of the pandemic on office space demand. The discussion began with Director Hillis addressing the potential for converting office spaces into housing. He noted that while there has been considerable discussion on this topic, there has not been significant interest from property owners or project sponsors to pursue such conversions at this time. However, he acknowledged that this situation may change as leases expire and vacancy rates in the downtown area increase.

Hillis emphasized the importance of a future agenda item dedicated to this topic, suggesting that the upcoming hearing on permit activity and development projects could provide further insights into housing projects and their progress. He indicated that while office projects are currently facing challenges, there are still a few moving forward.

Miss Gibson also contributed to the discussion by reminding commissioners and the public about the ongoing comment period for the draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR). She encouraged written submissions of comments, noting that the comment period had been extended by three weeks, now concluding on July 12 at 5 PM. The public can submit their feedback via email at cpc.housingelementupdateeir@sfgov.org.

The meeting concluded with no further comments from commissioners, transitioning to departmental matters and announcements. Overall, the discussions highlighted the city's ongoing considerations regarding urban development and housing needs in the wake of changing economic conditions.