Commission approves demolition and replacement at 249 Texas St. after heated public opposition

The Planning Commission voted 5–2 to permit demolition of a building at 249 Texas Street and replace it with a two‑unit, code‑compliant residence after weeks of contested hearings and extensive neighborhood opposition.

Project counsel Scott Imblidge and staff described revisions intended to address earlier commissioner comments: the sponsors increased the lower unit’s size, added laundry, reduced roof‑deck footprint to provide a five‑foot buffer from property lines, and agreed to record a restriction that both new units be subject to the city's rent stabilization and arbitration ordinance (as required under SB 330 replacement provisions). Planning staff added a condition requiring a community liaison to manage construction concerns and neighbor communication.

Organized opposition, tenant advocates and many neighbors contended the existing building contains a long history of rent‑controlled occupancy and that demolition would remove affordable housing stock. Speakers alleged inadequate notice of continuances, disputed sponsor claims about the unauthorized dwelling unit (UDU) and asserted past tenants left under duress. Speakers also raised aesthetic and light‑and‑privacy impacts and asked the commission to require smaller scale, no higher than the existing building, removal of roof decks, and preservation of backyard trees.

Staff and sponsor argued that legal and financial analysis showed renovating the UDU to code would cost roughly $400,000 while adding only about $100,000 in building value, making rehabilitation financially infeasible; the sponsors said replacement yields two code‑compliant, rent‑controlled units and agreed to record the SB 330 replacement/relocation conditions. Commissioners balanced those arguments and, after debate about notice, rent‑control status and design compromises, approved the conditional use authorization by a 5–2 vote with Commissioners Imperial and Moore dissenting.

Next steps: staff will record the rent‑stabilization restriction on the property as part of the SB 330 replacement requirement and the sponsor must comply with the community‑liaison and other conditions of approval; opponents indicated they may pursue further review.