Yesterday, London Breed took office as Mayor of San Francisco after being elected in June. She is the first black woman elected to the office.
Her election is an exciting moment for advocates of zoning and land-use liberalization, also known as Yes-in-my-Backyarders (YIMBYs). Breed has been an outspoken advocate for liberalization, recognizing that San Francisco’s homelessness problem and housing affordability crisis are the result of needlessly restrictive regulations.
Breed supported State Senator Scott Wiener’s failed SB 827, which would have upzoned neighborhoods near public transportation, affecting nearly 96% of the Bay City.
On Twitter yesterday, Mayor Breed outlined her policy priorities. Among these was a focus on building more housing.
At the root of so many of our issues is our housing crisis. Our unending systems of laws seems designed as if to say NO to creating more homes, and we’ve seen the results. It’s time to say YES to more affordable housing, more middle income housing, and more market rate housing.
— London Breed (@LondonBreed) July 11, 2018
This rhetoric is refreshing for advocates of zoning reform. The focus of many housing advocates is to create more low-income housing, and while helping those least able to afford to live in San Francisco should be the priority, Breed understands that more housing, not just low-income housing, is the solution. Or, as she put it in her inaugural address:
“I plan to change the politics of no to the politics of YES. We need more housing across our ENTIRE city.”
– Mayor @LondonBreed pic.twitter.com/E81YxpyxnN— SF YIMBY (@SFyimby) July 11, 2018
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