San Francisco offers density and height bonuses to projects that include affordable housing through the local HOME-SF program (Planning Code 206.3) and the California State Density Bonus Law, with stacked incentives possible.
HOME-SF, codified at Planning Code Section 206.3, gives qualifying multifamily projects on transit corridors up to two extra stories of height and 30 percent more density when 25-30 percent of units are affordable to low- and moderate-income households. Projects can layer the State Density Bonus (Government Code 65915) for additional concessions including reduced parking minimums and waivers from off-street loading. Planning reviews HOME-SF applications in approximately six months, faster than discretionary review, and requires recorded affordability covenants for 55 years.
Failure to maintain affordable units triggers reverter clauses, allowing the city to reclaim entitlements; affordability covenant breaches carry per-unit damages.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
San Francisco, CA
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See how San Francisco's density bonus law rules stack up against other locations.
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