Planning Department, District 7 Supervisor Engaging Community About Future Housing Needs

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The San Francisco Planning Department and District 7 Supervisor Norman Yee have teamed up to hold a series of virtual meetings to get feedback from residents on housing and land use needs in the district.

Yee said that his office has heard from the community that they would like to be involved in the district’s planning of land use and housing needs, especially the housing needs for seniors and families with children.

“We’ve heard from community members that we need to address the growing housing needs of seniors who are struggling to age in place and growing families that are looking for stable housing options in District 7,” according to a letter from the Planning Department and supervisor.

Yee moved addback funds from the Office of Economic and Workforce Development for a project called “Ocean Avenue Corridor Neighborhood Program” and redirected to the Planning Department to conduct in-language outreach to seniors and families, according to Planning Department spokesperson Gina Simi.

The goals of the virtual meetings is to establish a framework for the engagement process, developing a housing plan for seniors and families and identifying appropriate types and locations of housing.

Census data from 2018 show a higher proportional rate of children, teens and older adults living in the district compared to the city overall. Approximately 16 percent of youth aged five through 19 live in the district and 25 percent of adults 60 and older live in the district.

Jen Low, a legislative for Yee, said the meetings are just the beginning of the discussion on how the district can prioritize housing for seniors and families as well as other needs heard from the community, such as housing for students. The district is home to San Francisco State University and City College of San Francisco.

Supervisor-elect Myrna Melgar, the former Planning Commission president, has also spoken of housing during her campaign and residents can read more about her priorities, including encouraging and helping homeowners to add accessory dwelling units.

Residents interested in participating in virtual discussions on the future of housing in the district can visit the Planning Department’s website specifically for District 7. Past meeting materials and videos are available online on the website.