In This Issue

Join us! CHA Annual Meeting, 5/16

Upzoning Map Changes

Move Over YIMBYs

Save Our Coastline Webinar, 4/18

CHA Annual Meeting

The residents of Cow Hollow are cordially invited to the

COW HOLLOW ASSOCIATION

2024 ANNUAL MEETING

Thursday, May 16, 2024

St. Francis Yacht Club



​AGENDA

6:30 to 7:00 pm — Member Sign-in, Appetizers & Drinks 

7:00 to 8:30 pm — Annual Meeting

​PROGRAM

Board Elections

President's Report

GUEST SPEAKERS 

Michael Barnes, Impact of Upzoning Plans

Captain Sawyer, Northern Police Station

Jan Diamond, Understanding Ranked Choice Voting

Supervisor Stefani, District 2 Update

The Cow Hollow Association (CHA) is dedicated to safeguarding the residential charm and well-being of our neighborhood. We keep our members up-to-date on various local concerns, including zoning, parking, traffic, Presidio matters, cleanliness initiatives, crime prevention, safety measures, and more. Join us in supporting CHA's mission by becoming a member!

Thank You To Our Event Sponsors

Are the Upzoning Maps Changing

... For the Worse?

Although the Mayor has slightly shifted her stance on upzoning, the City must still address the State mandate of 82,000 new units by 2031, and YIMBY influences remain deeply rooted.

The above image on the left depicts the current proposed map from the SF Planning Department, which creates a speculative market on specified streets, hinders the construction of affordable housing, and encourages the development of tall luxury condos, which are not the type of housing the City needs most at this time. On the right, you can see the YIMBYs and their allies' proposed alternative map, which is significantly more aggressive and still falls short of achieving true affordability.

Cities themselves do not construct housing; instead, they issue permits for housing projects. Currently, San Francisco has over 73,000 permitted units in the pipeline, including 16,000 affordable units. Economic factors, rather than zoning restrictions, primarily influence the slow pace of construction.



Moreover, San Francisco has the capacity to accommodate 141,000 units within its existing zoned heights. Recent zoning changes allow for an additional 480,000 units in the form of 4-plex and 6-plex upzoning. Moreover, the State Density Bonus law provides additional capacity and height when projects include at least 10% affordable units.

Given the significant recent upzoning and existing capacity, these changes should be determined and evaluated before considering new upzoning plans that favor luxury high-rise developments.

Until both the State and local officials recognize the reality that upzoning does not equate to affordable housing, and refuse to bend to real estate industry demands, our city plan will be to "Manhattanize" San Francisco.

Move over, YIMBYs. It’s time for us to be SHIMBYs to get housing done in SF

"We need a return to pragmatic, bottom-up neighborhood and community planning that respects existing height limits and fosters community consensus for new development", says Moe Jamil

Article by Moe Jamil, published in The SF Standard, April 12, 2024

YIMBYs are demonizing San Francisco residents and small businesses with labels like NIMBY. But such smears can't obscure the truth about the extreme housing policies of Mayor London Breed, state Sen. Scott Wiener and their allies.

Simply put, an “upzoning” plan to double height limits and disregard public input is radical and will not benefit the city's residents or small businesses. Rather, such moves would destroy our neighborhoods and displace the people and local businesses that make San Francisco special. 

Last week, the mayor appeared to shelve the most radical elements of the upzoning plan in favor of a more targeted and nuanced approach that I and other neighbors and merchants have advocated. Despite the mayor’s clear about-face, the radical fringe YIMBY elements rushed to social media to call for an even bigger plan that demolishes existing buildings and expands the scope of the rezoning plan. Did they get the memo from Room 200 or do a temperature check of residents and merchants? Clearly not. 

Many housing projects have stalled in San Francisco because of high interest rates and the mayor’s failure to make our streets and neighborhoods clean and safe. Instead of focusing on those issues, which are top of mind for many in San Francisco, YIMBYs are attempting to force their wrong-headed upzoning plans on the rest of us.

A top-down, one-size-fits-all approach to zoning undermines the vibrant character of our amazing neighborhoods. Extreme housing policies will backfire and hinder the decades-long progress made in developing housing that reutilizes and reimagines land—where appropriate—in the city. Hayes Valley, Dogpatch and District 3’s Polk Street and Van Ness corridors are amazing examples of rethinking our local landscape and creating spaces that contribute to our already thriving historic neighborhoods. 

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Moe Jamil is a deputy city attorney, Russian Hill Neighbors boar/d member and a candidate for District 3 supervisor in November’s election. His comments are his own and do not represent the views of his employer.

Save Our Coastline Webinar

Join Council members and Our Neighborhood Voices to learn about a ballot Initiative that will give back control to local governments and the Coastal Commission, and give you back your voice in what happens in your city.

Sacramento’s recently introduced SB951 and AB2560 together with over 150+ recently passed housing laws eliminating local democracy, and these new laws will lead to uncontrolled high density on our coastlines, while denying cities, counties, residents, and even the Coastal Commission the ability to review plans and voice opinions.

If you know others whom you feel are also tired of Sacramento handing down one-size laws that take away your and your local elected leader’s voices, feel free to forward this message.