KQED Voter Guide: San Francisco Proposition E

Should San Francisco allow exemptions to some review and approval processes for the following kinds of housing: 100% affordable housing projects, educator housing projects and market-rate projects with 20-30% (depending on the number of bedrooms) affordable housing units on-site? Explore KQED's full 2022 California voter guide.

Yes Argument

Proposition E focuses on people who truly need affordable housing, like those with low incomes, as opposed to Proposition D, which expedites housing targeted for higher-wage earners. The measure contains annual transparency- and accountability-reporting requirements, which will make it truly accountable to the public. It also has incentives to begin construction “immediately,” and makes sure that workers who produce the housing will be paid a prevailing wage.

No Argument

The affordability requirements to qualify for streamlined approval in Proposition E are so high that it would make housing too expensive for developers to build. Prop E would still require environmental reviews, even of 100% affordable housing projects. And a provision in the measure requiring a certain amount of contractor apprenticeships may also delay housing construction, because many workers don’t complete those programs.

Key Supporters

• Connie Chan, supervisor, San Francisco
• Shamann Walton, supervisor, San Francisco
• San Francisco Building Trades
• San Francisco Democratic Party

Key Opponents

• GrowSF
• Housing Action Coalition
• SPUR
• YIMBY Action