San Francisco cuts red tape in order to build 5,000 new units per year

Mayor Ed Lee orders permit approvals to take no more than 22 months

Lee ordered city agencies to cut permit processing times in half. (U.S. Department of Labor, back; Pixabay, front)
Lee ordered city agencies to cut permit processing times in half. (U.S. Department of Labor, back; Pixabay, front)

Mayor Ed Lee is trying to cut down the red tape for housing developments slated for San Francisco. This week Lee ordered city agencies to cut permit processing times in half in order to fulfill his city-wide mandate of building 5,000 new housing units per year, according to Curbed.

U.S. Census data shows 2,600 units were added from 2015 to 2016, and 3,500 units were added the year before. Lee characterized these numbers as “mistakes of the past.” Under his new executive directive, housing approvals in San Fran would take no more than 22 months going forward.

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“We have thrown up obstacle after obstacle to the creation of new housing in our City and failed to meet the demands of our growing workforce,” Lee told reporters. “The time for excuses, delays and bureaucracy is over.” [Curbed] — E.K. Hudson