California Legislature Passes a Bill to End Permit Appeals in San Francisco

[Nomad]

For those who are living in San Francisco, there is some good news. California's legislature has passed a bill that puts an end to permit appeals. The bill was sponsored by Assembly Member Matt Haney and supported by State Senator Scott Wiener the Housing Action Coalition and The Bay Area Council.

San Francisco allowed for appeals on almost all permits, which delayed the development projects, thus increasing the cost for contractors and residents. Now, with this new bill, there will not be any post-entitlement appeals. The bill will streamline the permitting process by putting an end to the permit appeals.

You can find more information here

 

[Henrywrites]

Permit appeals can be a frustrating process for those seeking permits for one project or another. It is a means to waste the time of developers that are in the area to see things work the way that it should be. So, the decision of the legislative arm in San Francisco to pass a bill to end permitting appeals is a good one that will encourage more developers to seek for permits to develop the area.

 

[Eric]

I liked what the former San Francisco supervisor is quoted as saying in the article about post-entitlement appeals: “Your crazy uncle doesn’t get to actually stop the wedding, but in this case they do.” As the article mentions, San Francisco is already the slowest/most expensive city in CA for housing development, so eliminating processes like this one, where the objectors rarely prevail and the whole episode just ends up serving as an opportunity for obstructionism, seems like critical streamlining for the City.

To me, the strangest/most interesting part of all this is that there apparently wasn't enough political will for the City of San Francisco to eliminate its own flawed process, i.e., the article mentions that doing so "would have required a local vote to change the city’s charter." The reform had to be approved in the state senate where the legislation was supported by a unanimous vote. So I guess it was controversial at the local level but completely uncontroversial at the state level? Interesting how that all played out...

 

[Debashis]

This is fantastic news for San Francisco residents and the entire city's development scene! The elimination of permit appeals is a game-changer that will undoubtedly boost efficiency and reduce unnecessary delays. Thanks to everyone involved in championing this legislation. It's a significant step towards a more streamlined and cost-effective permitting process, ultimately benefiting both contractors and residents alike. Here's to a brighter and more prosperous future for San Francisco!