Mayor, Supervisor Finalize Balboa Reservoir Housing Development Agreement

The Ingleside Light's independent news relies on readers. Sign up for the weekly email newsletter or become a member.

An agreement has been reached between a development group and the City and County of San Francisco for 1,100 units of housing on the 17-acre Balboa Reservoir.

Mayor London Breed and District 7 Supervisor Norman Yee announced the project’s initiation in a joint-statement issued on April 28. The project will be moving forward on the heels of a lengthy environmental review process.

Half of the planned units will be affordable housing, and the project will include four acres of public open space, a childcare center and a community room. The agreement will allow for up to 150 units to be reserved for City College of San Francisco faculty and staff. $10 million in fees will be dedicated for transportation and infrastructure.

“Our housing shortage did not go away during this pandemic, and now more than ever we need to continue to do the work to build more homes throughout our entire City,” Mayor Breed stated. “These new homes at Balboa Reservoir for families, for workers, and for teachers, will help more people be able to live in San Francisco. This is an incredible project on the west side of town, and we need more like it if we are going to make San Francisco affordable for everyone.”

Community members had a platform to discuss their thoughts on the project at the Balboa Reservoir Community Advisory Committee, a body Yee created through legislation.

“The Balboa Reservoir project would not be where it is today without the guidance and input of the Community Advisory Committee over the course of five years,” Yee stated. “I hope it will serve as a model for what community-led planning can look like. We need a comprehensive approach to housing and I believe this proposal captures those principles especially incorporating child-friendly design elements, which I have been advocating for citywide. I want to emphasize to the public that this is an iterative process and I look forward to further engagement with the advisory committee, community members, City College, and immediate neighbors to ensure that the project we ultimately approve is one we can all be proud of.”