September 2004 (see also Fall 2004 newsletter)

PLEASE HELP STOP HIGH-DENSITY HOUSING ELEMENT PLAN

Dear Neighbors:

During the last year, Westwood Highlands Association and 15 other San Francisco neighborhoods have been seriously concerned about the "Housing Element," a San Francisco Planning Department policy document, which, if adopted, would become part of San Francisco's General Plan, and would drive development in the City for the next five to ten years. This Housing Element (HE) is significant because California state law requires that all zoning and development must be consistent with the policies of a city's General Plan. Thus, this HE will have major effects upon the character and livability of San Francisco, including Westwood Highlands, for years to come.

Specifically, this HE calls for the legalization of secondary (in-law) units, reduced and eliminated requirements that have historically required builders to provide on-site parking places in all new housing developments, and a provision for higher-density housing by increasing the height limit to 50 feet, especially in and around transit lines or "corridors." Two of these corridors in our area include Ocean Avenue and West Portal Avenue, and I fear, could eventually include Monterey Boulevard. The HE also encourages the creation of new secondary in-law units without parking places, in homes zoned for single-families, along these transit corridors and 1250 feet into the neighborhoods on both sides of these corridors.

The HE also directs high-density housing to neighborhood commercial areas which include Laurel Village, Sacramento Street, Chestnut Street, West Portal Avenue, Ocean Avenue, Union Street and Fillmore Street and along the previously mentioned "transit corridors." This would be accomplished by raising the height limit to 50 feet and by allowing the new units and in-law units to be built without any on-site parking places.

The Planning Department ignored State law by incorporating these and the other major policy changes of the HE without consulting with property owners nor considering the potential and likely negative environmental effects that would have been discovered with an Environmental Impact Report (EIR). The EIRS prepared for the city Housing Elements of 1983 and 1990 resulted in maintaining existing density in our lower-density neighborhoods. With the current Housing Element, no EIR was prepared, no notice was given, no input was invited, no housing alternatives were studied, and no planning workshops were conducted Also, the proposed Housing Element conflicts with voter-mandated Proposition M, which passed several years ago and maintains the unique character and designs of San Francisco's neighborhoods. Also in conflict with this new HE are neighborhood Covenants, Controls, and Restrictions, which protect the single-family zoning of Westwood Highlands and many other city neighborhoods.

Currently, this new Housing Element is before the Board of Supervisors for adoption. Adoption seems very likely since the board already voted 6 to 4 to not require an EIR. Our neighborhood coalition is preparing to sue and this suit must be filed within 30 days of adoption. Westwood Highlands Association is strongly considering joining this lawsuit and a decision will be made in the next week or so. In any event the 16-neighborhood coalition thinks it is extremely important to support this case financially. The coalition's attorney; respected and well known in land-use matters, is Susan Brandt-Hawley. Ms. Brandt-Hawley has been representing the coalition with the Planning Department and Appeal to the Board of Supervisors, and has agreed to handle this lawsuit for a flat fee of $50,000, which, believe it or not, is quite reasonable.

The 16-neighborhood coalition is asking its individual homeowners to contribute $100 or more (or less) to help pay for the attorney. Because of the large number of improprieties on the City's part and for other reasons I can't get into here, we have been advised that our chances of success in this effort are very good. We've also been told repeatedly that there is no alternative but to sue at this point; otherwise the HE will go into effect. Since Westwood Highlands has only 283 homes, our share will not nearly be what other neighborhoods will pay. Two of the neighborhoods listed below have already paid more than $20,000 to represent the efforts of our coalition so far; Westwood Highlands Association has chipped in $500 and is considering another $500 from our treasury to help in this suit. Your individual contribution is extremely important but is a ridiculously small price to pay to protect the livability of Westwood Highlands, and to keep San Francisco from becoming another Manhattan.

Personally, I think it's pathetic that Westwood Highlands is compelled to use our tree planting and neighborhood preservation money to force the mayor's office and Board of Supervisors to act properly and not simply pander to the huge money and influence of "housing activists" and non-profits that represent developers. I also find it extremely distasteful to ask neighbors to contribute personal funds when the City should be handling this, or should I say, protecting us from this kind of thing.

Zoning changes are natural, and developers have the right to develop, but the long-standing process in San Francisco to deal with development —a process that includes residential and neighborhood notification, input, workshops, Planning Commission diligence, EIRs, etc. — has been totally ignored. For example, most readers of this letter are probably hearing about this 'Housing Element' for the first time.

The following 16 organizations make up the coalition.

Presidio Heights Association of Neighbors
Pacific Heights Residents Association
Cow Hollow Association
Jordan Park Improvement Association
Greater West Portal Neighborhood Association
Russian Hill Neighbors
St. Francis Homes Association
Westwood Highlands Association
Marina-Cow Hollow Neighbors & Merchants
Miraloma Park Improvement Club
Lakeshore Acres Improvement Club
Francisco Heights Civic Association
Golden Gate Valley Neighborhood Association
Laurel Heights Improvement Association
Inner Sunset Action Committee
Sunset-Parkside Education & Action Committee

For more information, feel free to telephone me at (415) 397-0767 or email bisho@bisho.com . You can also read the Housing Element document itself on the Planning Department Web pages. Another excellent Web site that describes the Housing Element in detail is put out by a group unaffiliated with our coalition, Save Our Neighborhoods.

If you can help, please complete the form below, cut it off, and return it with your tax-deductible contribution check payable to Appeal Legal Fund, PHRA, 2443 Fillmore Street #192, SF, CA 94115 (Pacific Heights Residents Association is acting as depository). Thank you for your support.

Special thanks go to Pacific Heights Residents Association for agreeing to act as a depository for the funds. Please note that no checks will be actually deposited into this account until a lawsuit is filed. If no lawsuit is filed, all checks will be returned uncashed.

Sincerely,

Dave Bisho

President, Westwood Highlands Association

Mail to: Appeal Legal Fund, PHRA, 2443 Fillmore Street #192, SF, CA 94115

Enclosed is my tax-deductible contribution to the Appeal Legal Fund. I understand that in the event a lawsuit is not filed, my check will be returned uncashed by the Pacific Heights Residents Association.

RESIDENT OF WESTWOOD HIGHLANDS ASSOCIATION

Name ______________________________________ Phone ____________________________

Street Address_______________________________________ Zip Code __________________

Email__________________________________________ Amount $________________