Planning Commission adopts FY2023–2025 department budget with modest cuts to fees and positions

The San Francisco Planning Commission on Thursday adopted the Planning Department's proposed budget for fiscal years 2023–2025, voting unanimously to approve the plan after a brief presentation and commissioner questions.

Planning Director Deborah Landis told the commission the department planned to reduce fees by about $2,000,000 in the coming budget cycle to reflect recent trends, and to reduce one‑time general fund support by about $500,000 at the mayor's request. Landis said grant revenue projections were conservative because grant awards are uncertain from year to year.

Commissioners spent most of the discussion asking for detail on which positions were proposed for elimination and how staffing decisions would affect implementation of the mayor's new housing‑element executive directive. Landis said many of the positions proposed for cut are currently vacant and that the department has grown substantially over the past decade; she said the department expects to reallocate staff and that housing‑element implementation remains a top priority.

Commissioners also asked whether the budget allows flexibility to meet the directive's timelines. Department leadership said the housing‑element work cuts across divisions and that staff can shift priorities as necessary, though they acknowledged timelines are aggressive.

Commissioner Imperial moved to adopt the budget. The motion passed unanimously, 7‑0. Staff said the item will proceed through the normal mayoral and budget processes following the commission's action.