As a San Franciscan, If You Care About Racial Equity or Housing, Vote For Proposition D.
There are two dueling ballot measures on housing this election cycle: Propositions D and E. To make access to housing more equitable for people of all races in San Francisco , the choice is clear: Proposition D.
Others, including the San Francisco Chronicle Editorial Board and think tank SPUR, have pointed out Proposition D streamlines the affordable housing process with clear guidelines and a mandated time frame in which qualifying projects must be approved. It also shields such developments from nuisance lawsuits which slow down development. Proposition D would allow me, as an affordable housing developer, to deliver San Francisco affordable housing more efficiently.
Prop D reduces uncertainty and legal costs associated with battling opposition to housing developments. It would also save me from having to reduce the size of development projects simply to avoid the potential for a political stalemate. Sadly, larger housing projects are often fought and killed in the housing pipeline.
As a San Franciscan, I’m most excited by the potential of Proposition D to create a more racially equitable city. Affordable housing is currently subject to the Board of Supervisors approvals. There is significant pressure put on these supervisors by influential groups in their districts to reject or reduce the size of housing developments. The result is that we have not developed as many affordable housing projects in areas like the north or west sides of the city where they will be opposed by well-heeled community members who can afford to endlessly appeal projects to the Board or bring forth litigation. This continues to concentrate affordable housing in the same neighborhoods such as SOMA and the Tenderloin. With Proposition D, we’ll now have an opportunity to build in historically wealthy and red-lined neighborhoods previously shrouded in NIMBYism.
The latest research from famed economist Raj Chetty has drawn a link between social interaction and upward mobility. Chetty states, “Social interaction across class lines is a key factor that predicts upward mobility out of poverty.” He goes on to directly say, “… there’s much that the government could do to economically integrate America, including building affordable housing in high-income areas.” Instead of further segregating the city, we have the opportunity to integrate it.
And the diversity numbers of affordable housing don’t lie. A little less than 6% of San Francisco’s population identifies as African American and nearly 16% identify as ethnically Hispanic. At our San Francisco properties, 18% and 19% identify as African American and Hispanic, respectively. Proposition D can help reverse the steady decline of our BIPOC communities within San Francisco. Furthermore, it makes it easier to build much needed middle-income housing for teachers. Imagine racially and economically diverse groups going to the same gyms or coffee shops. Imagine the social connection and upward mobility this can create.
With the Housing Elements policies, San Francisco will soon face consequences for decades of bad housing policies and processes. The state requires us to build 82,000 housing units in the next eight years. Of these, 33,000 must be affordable housing for very low income or low-income individuals. Rather than the state conducting a heavy-handed push at the last minute, I would rather engage in a thoughtful community-engaged approach to create these affordable housing units. An approach that fits in the community and is beneficial to the affordable housing residents. Proposition D is the only measure on the ballot that can get us there.
Parag Gupta is a San Francisco resident. He is also the Chief Program Officer of Mercy Housing, the largest non-profit affordable housing providers in the US and a board member of YIMBY Action, a network of people who advocate for abundant housing and inclusive, sustainable communities across the United States.
