Tuesday, October 27, 2015

Addressing the housing crunch, South San Francisco


Image result for build housing picture
Check back next century,
"We've got you covered".
The Daily Journal/Austin Walsh, 10/27/15.  "City eyes housing east of 101:  South San Francisco's property identified as chance to address housing crunch."

Image result for build housing picture
We're doing something about
housing in Pacifica too.
"Though the region east of Highway 101 in South San Francisco has historically been preserved to accommodate growth in the city’s famed biotechnology industry, officials wrestling with a housing shortage are turning an to eye the area as a potential site for future residential development. ....  As people have flocked to the Peninsula amidst the recent economic boom, the demand for more housing in South San Francisco has increased substantially, said Councilman Pradeep Gupta, and officials are beginning to examine all the resources they have at their disposal.

Gupta, who also sits on the Housing Subcommittee, said though the concept is still in the early stages of being considered, he believed there is merit to the proposal. “Given the housing situation and the need for building housing fast and affordably, we are looking at all options,” he said. "... in recent years, more workers in the biotechnology industry have started calling for development of homes near their workplace, said Greenwood, and officials are willing to consider such a proposal.Read article.

Note photographs Bird house by Property News from Dover Express/UK. Carboard house image from Metropolitan Council on Housing (Housing for People).

Posted by Kathy Meeh

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

Everybody but ...

Anonymous said...

"calling for development of homes near their workplace" Yes, let's have more homes near our workplaces in Pacifica. Which would be where? Safeway?

Anonymous said...

@10:30 - In case you haven't been keeping up, the latest trend in employment is to find it close to where one lives.


See here: http://www.treehugger.com/urban-design/yet-another-study-shows-how-gen-y-wants-live-and-work-downtown.html

South San Francisco has a sizable Bio-tech scene. They also have IT presence.
But of course, we are Pacifica. And we "Think Different!"

Anonymous said...

Oh how I love it when we slobber over a place like SSF. Suspend reality, ignore geography, re-imagine land use, indulge in fantasy planning and zoning, oh yeah, let's pretend. And, don't forget that wee bit of self-loathing rrrrahhhhr good morning Pacifica!

WAKE UP PACIFICA said...

10:30 anon
It takes vision, pal. Something missing from Pacifica for decades.
Housing (affordable or not) + commercial revenue generating development + symbiosis with public transit systems all must work in concert for a city to be healthy and sustainable. The NOBIES, NIMBIES, FAUX-ENVIROS and "I GOT MINE'S" have very effectively replaced progressive thinking with their selfish welfare mentality.
They alone are responsible for the ruination of Pacifica and of course the political couch potatoes are complicit.
I applaud the efforts of our new city manager, economic developer and 3 of the current council members but I fear it may be too little too late.
Let's hope not for our kid's sake.

Anonymous said...

Public transit? In Pacifica? Where?

Anonymous said...

And, we're off to the races! It's the nobies, nimbies, fauxs, IGM's and 2 of 5 council members (any 2, any time, your choice). They're the cause of Pacifica's woes. Wake up bonehead. They're also the majority of Pacifica residents--past, present, and from what I see of new arrivals, future. I know, I know...if only the population was made up of realtors and related. Sigh...what a city we'd have. LMAO.

Anonymous said...

Of course people want to work near their homes. Doesn't everybody? How to do that in Pacifica is the unanswered question. How do we create more well-paying jobs here? Tech in the quarry? Or are we a bedroom community for jobs outside of Pacifica?

Anonymous said...

1030 High Five! Save me a spot near Taco Bell.

Anonymous said...

Tech has a place in Pacifica, if Pacifica wants it. Rockaway, Palmetto, Francisco Blvd are good candidates for concentrated Tech development (Similar to SOMA/Mission Bay in SF).
Pacifica has land, access, location and supporting market demand. What it lacks is vision and political will.

Anonymous said...

We're a bedroom community on our way to being unincorporated and no one will notice the difference. Can't afford to pay the bills for the services that go with being a Bay Area city. Business development, especially visitor serving, might save us. Revamped shopping centers would take us out of the shabby mid-20th century rut. Instead we're wasting land on fancy homes and a library while mewling we can't control what is built. Can't fix stupid.

Anonymous said...

1:33 - those expensive homes are on private land. So, who exactly is wasting money?
Library and expensive homes are two separate issues. There are enough shopping malls in Daly City, SSF and Colma. How many more do you want?

Kathy Meeh said...

154, as 133 says, can't "fix stupid".
Spending our money to improve the cities of Daly City, South San Francisco and Colma unfortunately is and has been the local City plan. (Big duh to Pacifica Nimbies who have manipulated and caused this City economic imbalance!)

Nevertheless, our 40% City continues to need local services and housing.
Some of you Nimbies claim to like "living in our neighborhoods". Well, "revamping our shopping centers" infill is part of that.

(And, have courage anonymous people, why not post with your name? Also, send us some articles you may wish to discuss too.)

Anonymous said...

154 Wasting land and it refers to the passive way this city views land use. Thanks to the great land giveaways of the last 30 years we are down to scraps from which we must generate revenue to keep the lights on. Privately and publicly owned scraps and several already commercially developed sites ripe for renewal and repurposing. City Hall sits on the side lines and mewls about no control over how private property is used. This is bull shit coming from the folks who are supposed to be running the city. Whether it's their ignorance, ideology or self-interest does not matter. The result is the same and we're living in it. We need businesses, not libraries. Businesses, not lavish homes. Businesses. And with all due respect to Pacifica's small business owners and the way they truly enrich this town, we need the big bang big buck stuff. Other cities pursue business, successfully finding partners and creating an environment that strongly favors and rewards business development. We pursue food trucks. Are we a city or a taco at the beach? If we cannot foster business development, if we instead actively or passively choose libraries and housing over commercial growth, we are doomed. And we should be.

CWR said...

I wish that Daly City didn't exist. It is an eyesore of a depressing place. The only time its worth driving into is when its foggy so you can't see the place.

The Local Libertarian said...

@10:15 -- Poor argument. Businesses need consumers and rising disposable incomes to be sustainable. Pacifica's population has been:

1) static/unchanged for the last 30 yrs
2) incomes in Pacifica are comparably lower relative to rest of San Mateo & SF Bay Area

There is not a whole lot stopping from business from setting shop in Pacifica by the way of local legislation or otherwise. Pacifica is simply not a viable location for *more* businesses.

Priority #1 should be what can Pacifica do enable income increases AND/OR attract higher income immigrants to the city. More housing to cater to the demand perhaps? More infrastructure? How about an attempt at make Pacifica an attractive place to live?

Once you have the population that is affluent, businesses will follow.

Alternately, Pacifica can also work to attract premium business that can create high salaried employment. Such as Tech, Craft food & beverage for example.

Personally, I don't think Outlet malls will help Pacifica. It is easier to get to the outlet malls in east bay using Bart from the city than drive to Pacifica in a car.
But regardless of what will ultimately become of the Quarry, I fully support upgrading the transport infrastructure:

1) Hwy Widening
2) Improved methodologies to facilitate flow of traffic
3) Beautification of the city -- more floral trees
4) More structured, dense and high rise housing in the currently developed part of Pacifica (give a chance for old timer Pacificans to cash out richly)








Ptown Lifer said...

Why is the so called Farmers Market in Rockaway? Shouldn't be along the Promenade near the Pier? And on a Saturday or Sunday? Very hard for folks to get to Rockaway by the time they start closing down usually. It may bring more people to town. The total lack of imagination in this city is laughable!!!

Anonymous said...

Lib we don't need more resident consumers who will shop and work over the hill and then come home for their ever-more-expensive city services. We're living that formula now and it sucks. We need visiting consumers and the businesses that attract them. Of course the gold ring for this town would be a tech or media business setting up shop here. It'll be Lark Scooters or dirt naps for all of us before that happens.

Anonymous said...

420 People do spend money at other businesses in Rockaway before and after their marketing. Restaurants, for example. Nothing to compare in Sharp Park. Nada. Same ocean.

The Local Libertarian said...

@8:12 -- if you want to attract visiting customers, Pacifica has the right setting for being the Craft food & beverage capital of Bay Area. We are close to local organic farms, have unique micro-climate, have access to fresh sea food and have reasonable numbers of potentially captive audience.

Craft cheese, bread, baked goods, beer, liquor, fresh fish along with distinct architecture, beautifully maintained and floral lined streets without traffic bottlenecks could help Pacifica. I mean, this isn't a new idea. Carmel, Solvang, Santa Barbara, Morro Bay, Los Osos have all proven this concept.

You know, Half Moon Bay has New Leaf. And Pacifica can't be bothered with a Traders Joe. I actually prefer to spend my money in HMB even if it means I have to drive 30 miles back and forth.

I think Pacifica is case of a jewel in the miners hands.