A roundup of news and multimedia from the Unfamiliar Terrain team:
San Francisco
San Francisco Family Zoning Plan Updates (SF Planning): As of late July, the Planning Department has updated the draft zoning height maps as part of its proposed Family Zoning Plan, which aims to expand housing affordability and availability by allowing for increased density. Critics of this Plan are ramping up their political pressure. If the rezoning is not completed by January 2026, the City risks losing certification of its Housing Element, which could open the door to “builder’s remedy” projects and other penalties from the State.
S.F. may soon ban natural gas in homes and businesses undergoing major renovations (SF Chronicle): The City may soon ban natural gas in residential and commercial buildings undergoing major renovations (with carve-outs), a move that builds on the City’s existing ban on natural gas in new buildings.
Cars will soon return to section of San Francisco’s Market Street (SF Chronicle): Under a new City pilot, commuters once again have the option to hail Waymo robotaxis or summon Uber or Lyft black cars at new locations on Market Street, all scattered along a downtown stretch that is closed to private automobiles.
Bay Area
The Bay Area is lagging on lofty housing goals. Here’s how far behind each city is (SF Chronicle): Cities across the Bay Area are lagging behind their state-mandated housing goals as high housing costs force out low-income families and construction slows across the state.
Bay Area housing production is frozen, forcing developers to take riskier bets (SF Standard): Most market-rate projects remain infeasible to build due to high interest rates and construction costs, despite steady rent growth.
Financing Climate Adaptation and Hazard Mitigation, Part 1: Federal Cuts Increase Bay Area’s Risks (SPUR): The first in a series of articles examining climate adaptation and hazard mitigation financing at the federal, state, and local levels, including current funding gaps and innovative models to bridge them.
This Bay Area city bet on warehouses over tech offices. Here’s why it paid off (SF Chronicle): Fremont is now the biggest employment center for advanced manufacturing on the West Coast, home to 900 companies that make physical products.
Berkeley could OK taller buildings on 3 popular streets (Berkeleyside): In a push to bring more housing to wealthy neighborhoods, the city is looking to raise height limits for new buildings.
San Jose becomes first California city to allow sale of ADUs as condos (SF Chronicle): San Jose approved the state’s first backyard accessory dwelling unit to be sold as a condominium on Thursday, creating a new path to affordable homeownership under legislation that took effect in 2024.
California and Beyond
Will New CEQA Reforms Bring More Housing to California? (KQED): A panel discussion on how much of a difference CEQA reform could make in addressing the Bay Area’s housing shortage and where – and when – we might see new developments.
California Has a Transit Cost Problem — and a New Appetite to Deal With It (SPUR): California has a reputation for costly and slow transit infrastructure development. But the state is attempting to develop ways to cost-effectively fast-track transit projects without jeopardizing public accountability.
Homelessness is finally dipping across California. These Bay Area counties saw double-digit declines (SF Chronicle): Across 15 California counties that conducted consecutive counts in 2024 and 2025, all but two reported declines in their overall homeless populations.
As Natural Disasters Become More Costly, Homeowners Foot the Bill (NY Times): Data from the Federal Emergency Management Agency shows that the average property damage from fires and severe storms is trending upward in many parts of the country, potentially costing homeowners more to recover.
Climate-Driven Housing Mandates Show Promise, But Face Real-World Barriers (MIT Center for Real Estate): While there is broad support for climate goals and recognition that building decarbonization is essential, many apartment owners and managers are struggling to keep pace with the complexity and cost of implementation.
The Quintessential Urban Design of ‘Sesame Street’ (NY Times): Over its several decades, the show’s setting has always been both realistic and idealistic. And it has evolved, much like the New York City streets that inspired it.
