San Francisco faces major hurdle: 82,000-unit housing goal by 2031

San Francisco is under pressure to plan for 82,000 new housing units over an eight-year period ending in 2031 under state housing regulations. 

City officials acknowledge that the pace of new housing approvals and construction has been slow. The California Department of Housing and Community Development has flagged the city’s lengthy permit timelines and higher-than-average construction costs as challenges to reaching the goal. 

Despite reforms aimed at speeding up the process, such as revised rules to shorten approval timelines, San Francisco remains far from meeting the average construction rate required. According to federal data cited by media, the city would have to approve roughly 28 housing units per day over the next eight years to hit the target. 

Local housing advocates note that more than half of the 82,000-unit projection must be affordable to low and moderate income households, adding to the challenge for the city’s planning and financing systems. 

The state has warned of possible consequences if the city fails to keep up: potential loss of local land-use control and state funding tied to housing and transportation.