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What means Family and Senior Housing Opportunity District
San Francisco’s housing market is facing increasing pressure, particularly for families and seniors who struggle to find affordable housing options. The Family and Senior Housing Opportunity Special Use District (SUD) offers a solution by incentivizing the development of more multifamily housing in well-resourced neighborhoods.
What is the Family and Senior Housing Opportunity Special Use District?
This is a citywide zoning instrument created through a bill by Supervisors Myrna Melgar and Joel Engardio to help add more housing in well-resourced neighborhoods. It makes it easier to replace single-family homes with smaller apartment buildings. The goal is to encourage more multifamily housing and help San Francisco meet its state housing targets for the 2023–2031 period.
Which properties qualify the Family Housing Opportunity SUD applies?
To qualify, properties need to be in:
- RH or RM-1 zoning areas (but not in the Telegraph Hill - North Beach Residential SUD or the North Beach SUD).
- They also can’t be part of a lot split.
- Single-Lot Development Projects
- Lot-Merger Development Projects
- Group Housing Development Projects
- Ground Floor Commercial Use projects.
SUD Project Guidelines and Ownership Requirements
Where are demolitions of SUD buildings not allowed?
Demolition is not allowed in Historic Districts, on buildings listed as Landmarks, or in Conservation Districts where the building has a rating of Category I, II, III, or IV.
Can you own Multiple SUD Ownership?
Yes, multiple ownership is allowed under SUD, but there are specific conditions based on the type of project:
For single-lot development projects: The majority ownership, whether represented by stock, membership interest, partnership interest, or co-tenancy interest, should satisfy the ownership duration requirement under subsection.
For lot merger projects: The majority ownership of each lot to be merged should independently satisfy the ownership duration requirement, regardless of how that ownership is held (stock, membership interest, partnership interest, co-tenancy interest).
What is the maximum height requirement for an SUD unit?
The maximum height allowed for the unit is 40 feet.
Development Analysis calculates the max size under the SUD to achieve the highest return.
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Single-Lot Development Project
How many units does the Single-Lot Development Project allow to build?
- A Single-Lot Development Project allows for at least 2 dwelling units.
- If proposing 4 units, the 4th unit should be located in the rear yard.
- For proposals with fewer than 4 units, up to 1 unit can be built in the rear yard.
What are the bedroom configuration requirements?
A project should include at least 2 dwelling units, each with 2 or more bedrooms, unless the project involves adding 1 unit to a lot that already has 3 existing dwelling units.
What exemptions apply to residential density limits?
The density limit allows for up to 4 dwelling units per lot. For corner lots, the limit increases to 6 dwelling units per lot, or 1 dwelling unit for every 1,000 square feet of lot area.
Lot-Merger Development Project.
How many units does the Lot-Merger Development Project allow to build?
A lot-merger development project allows the merger of up to 3 lots. The merged lot should include:
- At least 9 dwelling units (and no more than the maximum allowed) if 3 lots are merged.
- At least 6 dwelling units (and no more than the maximum allowed) if 2 lots are merged.
What are the bedroom configuration requirements?
- For two-lot merger projects, there should be at least 2 dwelling units with 2 bedrooms, or at least 1 dwelling unit with 3 bedrooms.
- For three-lot merger projects, at least 3 dwelling units with 2 bedrooms are required, or at least 2 dwelling units with 3 bedrooms.
What exemptions apply to residential density limits?
- If a lot results from the merger of 3 lots, the density limit is the greater of 12 dwelling units per lot or 1 dwelling unit per 1,000 square feet of lot area.
- For a lot resulting from the merger of 2 lots, the limit is the greater of 8 dwelling units per lot or 1 dwelling unit per 1,000 square feet of lot area.
Group Housing Development Project.
What exemptions apply to residential density limits?
For both Single-Lot and Lot-Merger Development Projects, up to 1 Group Housing bedroom is allowed per 415 square feet of lot area in RH-1, RH-1(D), and RH-1(S) districts.
Corner Lot Projects.
How many units does the Corner Lot Project allow to build?
A corner lot project can accommodate at least 5 units.
What is the maximum height requirement?
The maximum height allowed is 65 feet.
What is the minimum rear yard requirement?
The minimum rear yard depth is 15 feet.
Construction of Rear-Yard Unit
What are the lot requirements for constructing a rear-yard unit?
The parcel should be at least 2,400 square feet
What is the setback requirement for a rear-yard unit?
The rear-yard unit should be at least 4 feet from the side and rear lot lines and should not share structural walls with any other structure on the lot.
What is the minimum distance the rear-yard unit must be from the primary building?
The rear-yard unit should be separated by at least 25 feet of unobstructed open area from the primary building.
See how much it will cost you to improve your property in SUD
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