On August 20, 2025, representatives from the San Francisco Planning Department presented to the Historic Preservation Commission the latest iteration of Mayor Lurie’s “Family Zoning Plan.”
The plan is meant to comply with the requirements of the city’s Housing Element to increase housing capacity by 82,000 units. If the proposed upzoning of properties sparks the construction boom the city and state hope for, then thousands of eligible but undesignated historic sites will be at risk. Many of the city’s more than 400 legacy businesses could also face displacement.
For the past year, San Francisco Heritage has advocated for the mayor’s plan to include protections covering potential historic resources, legacy businesses, and cultural districts.
The city has added elements for business assistance and support to legacy businesses potentially affected by new construction because of the rezoning. The ongoing city survey was redirected to focus on commercial corridors where historic buildings could be most vulnerable when height limits are raised.
An expedited process to designate historic landmarks, conceived out of meetings we had last year with the Planning Department, has now begun. Supervisor Rafael Mandelman earlier this month initiated 16 new city landmark nominations in District 8. Discussions with other supervisors to put forward groups of nominations in other districts are now underway.
While good steps, there is still much to address to protect the city’s special places in the mayor’s current proposal. There is limited time to do so, with this plan scheduled to go before the Planning Commission in September and the Board of Supervisors in October.
At the August 20 Historic Preservation Commission meeting, San Francisco Heritage called for all potential historic resources identified by the Planning Department in the proposed rezoning areas to be excluded from rezoning. These “Category A” buildings represent about 14% of properties in the targeted Family Zoning Plan Area, but only a fraction are on the major commercial streets targeted for major upzoning and the majority of new housing.
Without formal designation, Category A properties are particularly vulnerable to demolition. Pulling them from the upzoning map will allow the City Survey team time to complete its work evaluating which might deserve historic designation and lessen the chance we lose special places.
We will keep you posted on the process and how your voice can help as the Family Zoning Plan moves forward.
