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"The unforeseen consequence is that now city planning commissions in places like SF simply don't issue demolition permits anymore for pre-1979 apartment buildin

by timr 10y ago

"The unforeseen consequence is that now city planning commissions in places like SF simply don't issue demolition permits anymore for pre-1979 apartment buildings." That isn't true. There's a well-defined process for it -- demolition is one of the few just causes for eviction here, and the planning department only has to take rent control into consideration as one factor when issuing new permits -- and it happens regularly in SF: https://www.sftu.org/merger/ https://www.sftu.org/merger/ http://planning.sanfranciscocode.org/3/317/ http://planning.sanfranciscocode.org/3/317/ Demolition permits are also so routinely issued for rent-controlled buildings in NYC that landlords are using it as a tactic to push out rent-controlled tenants: http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/02/realestate/02cover.html?pagewanted=print http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/02/realestate/02cover.html?pa...

sroussey 10y ago
Trinity demolished buildings by civic center, but were required to move the people there into the new buildings at the same rent controlled rates. So it isn't true in a strict sense, but effectively it's true.
raldi 10y ago
It happens very rarely, and when it does, it's a scandal and a total "man bites dog" story: http://48hills.org/2014/09/08/sf-planners-decide-just-fine-demolish-rent-controlled-housing/ http://48hills.org/2014/09/08/sf-planners-decide-just-fine-d... Gabriel Ng & Architechs Inc. wants to build two new structures on the large corner lot at 26th and Clement. Each building would have three units, with three-bedrooms each. The project sponsor argued that there’s a need for family housing in the city, and that six new units, which most likely would be sold as condos, would help the crisis. But to make room for one of the buildings, the project calls for the demolition of an existing apartment building with two smaller rent-controlled units. And that’s something the city isn’t supposed to allow. In fact, when the mayor with great fanfare issued his housing directive in 2013, he made it clear that demolishing existing rental housing should only be allowed in unusual circumstances. [T]he 4-3 vote in favor was directly in defiance of city policy and the mayor’s directive regarding the preservation of existing rent-controlled housing. In the past year, the Planning Department has repeatedly refused to approve projects that involve a loss of rental units [...] The mayor has directed the Department to adopt policies which encourage the preservation of existing housing stock [as] the city’s highest priority.

by timr 10y ago

sroussey 10y ago

Trinity demolished buildings by civic center, but were required to move the people there into the new buildings at the same rent controlled rates. So it isn't true in a strict sense, but effectively it's true.

raldi 10y ago

It happens very rarely, and when it does, it's a scandal and a total "man bites dog" story: http://48hills.org/2014/09/08/sf-planners-decide-just-fine-demolish-rent-controlled-housing/ http://48hills.org/2014/09/08/sf-planners-decide-just-fine-d... Gabriel Ng & Architechs Inc. wants to build two new structures on the large corner lot at 26th and Clement. Each building would have three units, with three-bedrooms each. The project sponsor argued that there’s a need for family housing in the city, and that six new units, which most likely would be sold as condos, would help the crisis. But to make room for one of the buildings, the project calls for the demolition of an existing apartment building with two smaller rent-controlled units. And that’s something the city isn’t supposed to allow. In fact, when the mayor with great fanfare issued his housing directive in 2013, he made it clear that demolishing existing rental housing should only be allowed in unusual circumstances. [T]he 4-3 vote in favor was directly in defiance of city policy and the mayor’s directive regarding the preservation of existing rent-controlled housing. In the past year, the Planning Department has repeatedly refused to approve projects that involve a loss of rental units [...] The mayor has directed the Department to adopt policies which encourage the preservation of existing housing stock [as] the city’s highest priority.