Committee forwards group-housing definition and special-use district work after heavy public comment

The Land Use and Transportation Committee on March 7 considered two related ordinances to tighten the planning‑code definition of group housing and create a group‑housing special‑use district for Chinatown and the Tenderloin. Supervisor Aaron Peskin, sponsor of the items, said staff and outside analyses — including a large California College of the Arts report referenced in the staff packet — guided the proposed changes to communal‑space ratios and kitchen requirements.

Supervisor Dean Preston raised questions about public-access rules for parklets and whether new rules would apply to pandemic-permitted parklets; Planning staff clarified that pandemic permits remain in effect and that code-based public-access requirements were scheduled to begin after a prior sunset date (06/30/2022). Planning Commission representative Aaron Starr said the commission unanimously recommended approval of item 2 with modifications and suggested exemptions for certain student and 100% affordable projects.

Public comment was extensive and sharply divided. SRO residents, Chinatown and Tenderloin advocates, and neighborhood-development nonprofits urged stronger protections for family housing and food-security needs, saying many local SROs lack kitchens and are overcrowded. The Central City SRO Collaborative and Chinatown Community Development Center supported the special‑use district and the redefinition. Developers, architects and the San Francisco SRO Hotel Coalition expressed concern about feasibility and legal constraints; the coalition asked whether the ordinances would apply to existing units or only new construction and warned they might conflict with Senate Bill 330 by reducing residential capacity.

On the motions: the committee voted 3–0 to recommend item 2 to the full board. For item 3 the committee adopted a non‑substantive amendment as presented and voted 3–0 to continue the amended item to the call of the chair for further committee consideration.

Next steps: item 2 will appear on the full Board of Supervisors agenda for consideration; item 3 will return to committee for further processing and possible amendment before being rescheduled.