Committee backs ordinance to raise guest-room cap for small hotels in select residential zones

The Land Use and Transportation Committee voted July 13 to recommend an ordinance that would increase the maximum number of guest rooms allowed as a conditional use in several San Francisco residential zoning categories from five to 10.

Reniel Bejoy, representing Supervisor Mandelmann's office, told the committee the measure is intended to help small bed-and-breakfast operations and similar small hotel uses in residential districts. Bejoy said each proposal would still require conditional-use authorization from the Planning Commission and neighborhood notification, which he described as the primary safeguard against over-concentration of commercial lodging in single-family areas.

Chair Supervisor Mirna Melgar asked whether the city had considered a total cap on the number of such conversions within neighborhoods; Bejoy said there is no citywide numerical cap, but each proposed use must receive conditional-use approval and neighbors would be notified and able to comment through the commission process.

There was no public comment on the item. Chair Melgar moved that the committee send the ordinance to the full Board with a positive recommendation; the clerk recorded the motion as passed with three ayes.

The ordinance is expected to appear on the Board of Supervisors agenda for July 21, 2026, unless otherwise noted.