Planning commission approves measure letting verified tenants sign conditional‑use appeals

The San Francisco Planning Commission on July 21 voted 6–1 to approve a planning‑code amendment that defines "verified tenant" and allows verified tenants to count as signatories on conditional‑use (CU) appeal applications.

The measure, sponsored by Supervisor Melgar and presented by Planning Department staff, amends Section 308.1 to let tenants self‑attest their residency — modeled on voter‑registration style verification — and adjusts internal deadlines so planning staff have 20 days to transmit certain decisions to the clerk, up from 10.

Why it matters: The change aims to broaden participation in land‑use appeals by formally recognizing tenants' stake in neighborhood decisions. Planning staff said the amendment would largely codify the roles already played by the Department of Public Works (DPW) while clarifying forms and timelines to reduce administrative burden.

"We landed on a system where tenants will self‑attest that they are residents of the building, sort of like the voter registration process," Jennifer Feber of Supervisor Melgar’s office said during the presentation. "We think it'll actually decrease some of [DPW's] work."

Public commenters and tenant advocates urged approval. One caller told commissioners that the current system leaves appellants "blind‑sided" because the Department of Public Works calculates signature thresholds with a complex algorithm and does not publish the exact minimum number of signatures required. "Appellants need to know not the percentage of signatures, but the exact minimum number of signatures needed," that speaker said.

Deputy City Attorney Kristen Jensen provided a legal clarification during the hearing, saying, "There is nothing in State law that prohibits either tenants or owners of condominiums from signing on," and noted that existing provisions already allow individual condominium owners to be signatories; the amendment would extend that ability to tenants of condominiums.

Commission debate focused on technical counting rules — how owners' and tenants' land‑area shares are computed within the 300‑foot radius used for appeals, and how co‑owned deeds are treated. Staff and the deputy city attorney said DPW will continue to calculate thresholds based on land‑area shares and deed ownership information.

Commissioner Reese moved to approve the ordinance with staff modifications; the motion passed 6–1, with Commissioner Fung voting against. The commission will forward the approved amendments to the Board of Supervisors for further action.

Next steps: The item now moves to the Board of Supervisors. The ordinance, if adopted by the Board, will codify the specified verification process and the amended transmission deadlines described by staff.