#upzoning

#upzoning

Yvonne Perez, a homeowner in the Richmond since 2017, said at the meeting that she understands her neighbors who are concerned about views being obstructed, or fear change. She used to be one of them. "I wasn't sure what to make of the upzoning plan. I didn't want the Richmond to become downtown with all the high-rises," she said. "But once I understood what it actually meant, more families, more younger generations, it changed my perspective."

SB 79, authored by state Sen. Scott Wiener, mandates that six- to seven-story residential buildings be built within a half-mile radius of any qualifying transit stops, which include some bus stops. This is beyond what has already been mandated along linear corridors and with the housing elements plan. A single-family home neighborhood currently has about eight houses per acre. These will be near developments that cannot be stopped if this bill passes.

The hearing was dominated by the belief in the free market to provide solutions, contrasted starkly with those who understand the limits of supply-side strategies.