Creating Affordable, Equitable Housing

Housing is a human right, and San Francisco must commit to a massive investment in deeply affordable housing to prevent displacement and gentrification. The current market-driven approach has only deepened income inequality and skyrocketed housing costs, leaving many workers, families, and vulnerable residents struggling to stay in the city. We must prioritize 100% affordable housing wherever possible, alongside alternative housing models such as co-ops, land trusts, and social housing. By implementing strong tenant protections and zoning reforms, we can create housing at all income levels while ensuring longtime residents are not pushed out.

San Francisco must meet its state-mandated goal of 46,000 new affordable homes over the next eight years, including mixed-income social housing that follows models from Vienna and Singapore. These units should be energy-efficient and electric to reduce utility costs for residents. Social housing ensures that tenants pay no more than 20-25% of their income on rent, creating stability across income levels. Market-rate tenants help subsidize lower-income tenants, while all residents benefit from high-quality public schools, infrastructure, and services. Prop K authorized 10,000 units of municipal housing in 2020, but we must now secure the funding to make it a reality. A public bank can provide low-interest loans to finance housing projects, including accessory dwelling units (ADUs) that create density without displacement.

San Francisco’s wealthiest neighborhoods must contribute to solving the housing crisis. While some areas are filled with oversized luxury homes, affordable housing remains scarce. To promote fairness, no construction or renovation permits should be granted for homes over 3,000 square feet unless they include an affordable ADU or apartment priced for low- and middle-income residents. Every neighborhood must participate in creating a balanced housing market that serves all San Franciscans.

San Francisco must end its cycle of evictions and speculation by implementing stronger tenant protections. Every renter should have the right to legal counsel in eviction cases, and the rental registry must be enforced to promote transparency and prevent illegal rent hikes. Predatory landlords must be held accountable through expanded regulations, and the Empty Homes tax must be rigorously enforced to bring thousands of vacant units back onto the market. Reforming state laws like Costa-Hawkins and Ellis Acts is essential to preserving rent control and preventing unjust evictions. Additionally, tenants must be made aware of their rights, including their ability to organize under the Union at Home ordinance.

Reversing decades of displacement requires proactive city planning and funding to reclaim land for affordable housing. By investing in autonomous community planning, we can identify key sites for city acquisition to meet the state-mandated 57% affordable housing requirement. The Anti-Displacement Act would evaluate the socioeconomic impacts of new developments, ensuring vulnerable communities are not harmed by gentrification. Expanding the Displaced Tenants Preference would allow family members of displaced tenants and essential city workers—such as teachers, first responders, and nurses—to access affordable housing.

San Francisco must invest at least $20 billion to meet its affordable housing targets. The private market alone will never build enough housing for low-income residents, as luxury developments remain more profitable. The city must take charge of continuous housing construction, especially during economic downturns, by treating housing as critical urban infrastructure. Establishing a public bank would provide low-interest loans for affordable housing, while revenue bonds would create long-term patient capital investment. The city must also: utilize Prop I funds for affordable housing, as voters intended. Pursue federal funding from programs like RAD, IRA, and Faircloth. Hold the state legislature and governor accountable for RHNA-mandated funding. Increase taxes on the wealthiest corporations and landlords to fund new housing.

San Francisco is experiencing a severe staffing crisis in key sectors such as healthcare, education, and public safety. Many essential workers earn too much to qualify for low-income housing but cannot afford market-rate rents. Workforce housing must be prioritized for teachers, nurses, first responders, and childcare workers. Projects like the Mission & 18th Street development, which provides housing for early childhood educators, should be expanded citywide. Additionally, housing subsidies for students can help attract and retain the next generation of San Francisco’s essential workers.

The real estate market in San Francisco is dominated by speculation and predatory investors who prioritize profit over people. The city must buy at-risk rental buildings to prevent displacement and preserve them as permanently affordable housing. Recent sales of thousands of Veritas-owned units to private investors were a missed opportunity—the city could have acquired these buildings for a fraction of new construction costs. Future large-scale property sales must be viewed as opportunities to expand social housing and stabilize communities.

Housing sustainability must go hand in hand with tenant protection. Many climate initiatives unintentionally displace low-income tenants by increasing costs or triggering speculative evictions. The current climate bill provides a unique opportunity to retrofit homes, reduce pollution, and create green, unionized jobs in District 9.

The city should proactively acquire vacant lots, surplus city-owned properties, and underutilized spaces to build 100% affordable housing. A city-run land bank could help acquire and repurpose properties for affordable housing development, ensuring that land is used to benefit residents rather than remain abandoned or sold to speculators. This strategy has been successfully used in other cities to curb urban blight and expand housing options.

Community Land Trusts (CLTs) are one of the most effective strategies for ensuring long-term affordability. CLTs purchase land and lease it to residents under 99-year agreements, keeping housing permanently affordable and shielding residents from market fluctuations. During the Great Recession, homes under CLTs had significantly lower foreclosure rates, proving their stability as a housing model. To expand this approach, the city must allocate more funding to CLTs and improve the Housing Preservation Program to support their growth. Additionally, public education efforts must highlight the benefits of CLTs to encourage broader community participation. San Francisco is at a crossroads—will we continue allowing profit-driven development to deepen inequality, or will we invest in housing as a public good? The future of District 9 depends on bold action to build affordable housing, protect renters, and reclaim land for the people. Housing justice is not just about shelter; it is about creating a city that values stability, sustainability, and equity for all.