The Facts

Supervisor Myrna Melgar announced Tuesday that she plans to turn the Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development into a standalone Department of Housing Development and Preservation covering both subsidized and market-rate housing, according to Alyce McFadden and contributor J.D. Morris at the San Francisco Chronicle.

Kelly Waldron at Mission Local reports that Melgar is working with the mayor’s office, and the mayor would appoint the director. Which existing functions and authority would move remains unresolved. Melgar is also drafting a program to finance new housing cooperatives and provide existing co-op boards with training and technical support. In co-ops, residents buy shares in the corporation that owns their building rather than individual apartments.

The Context

Housing responsibilities are divided: the mayor’s housing office finances subsidized housing, SF Planning controls zoning and review, and the Department of Building Inspection handles permits and enforcement.

A 2022 city report counted 1,580 homes across 11 limited-equity co-ops. Only one received city development funding, and many face deferred maintenance, board conflict, or financing problems.

The GrowSF Take

Melgar is right to push for this. San Francisco needs a housing department responsible for helping deliver homes at every price point. The Board should create the department and give the mayor and its director flexibility to set priorities and adapt its work, with clear accountability for results.