Planning Commission endorses ‘Sunset Forward’ community plan for District 4

The San Francisco Planning Commission unanimously endorsed “Sunset Forward,” a two‑phase, community‑led needs assessment and strategy for the city’s Sunset neighborhood, during its Oct. 13 hearing.

Carla de Mesa, planning department senior community development specialist, said the initiative aims “to stabilize low‑ and moderate‑income families and seniors in the Sunset” by addressing housing, commercial corridors and neighborhood services. Ben Wong, executive director of Waimei School and a member of the District 4 Youth and Families Network, described the process as a partnership of nonprofits, the Planning Department and Supervisor Marr’s office that engaged more than 2,500 community members and reached households in English and Chinese.

Sunset Forward centers three priorities: build more deeply affordable housing and housing types for seniors and middle‑income families; improve zoning, permitting and the public realm for small businesses on neighborhood commercial corridors; and expand neighborhood services such as childcare, after‑school programs and tenant supports. Supervisor Marr said the work helped secure early investments for the neighborhood, citing the recently started Shirley Chisholm Village and the 2550 Irving project, which includes 22 permanent supportive‑housing units.

Community partners and neighborhood organizations urged endorsement during public comment. Lily Wong of the Sunset Chinese Cultural District at Waimei School told commissioners the planning department’s outreach ‘‘represents what kind of community engagement we want to see across the city.’’ Asian Inc., Self‑Help for the Elderly, Westside Community Coalition and the D4 Youth and Families Network also spoke in favor.

Commissioners asked staff how Sunset Forward will be used. Director Tomor Hillis and staff said the strategies will inform staff reports and implementation planning, and that the department is forming a housing‑implementation team to coordinate with supervisors’ offices and other city agencies. Commissioners asked that staff explicitly reference Sunset Forward goals in future staff reports for projects in District 4 so the commission can see how proposed projects align with community priorities.

The commission voted 7–0 to adopt a resolution endorsing Sunset Forward and asked staff to monitor implementation and provide regular updates to the Sunset community.

The endorsement does not change zoning or adopt regulations; it is an advisory, implementation‑oriented framework. Staff and the supervisor’s office described existing pilots tied to the strategy, including an ADU technical assistance pilot that assisted about 30 Sunset homeowners and an effort to pair small‑business supports with new housing along transit corridors. Staff said funding and specific program rollouts will require coordination with agencies such as MOHCD and OEWD and that implementation timelines and funding sources will be tracked and reported back to the community.

Next steps: the Planning Department will continue to coordinate with the D4 network and Supervisor Marr’s office to track implementation, explore financing for homeowner incentive programs and incorporate Sunset Forward priorities into the housing element updates and project review where applicable.