By Laksh Bhasin, co-author of the SF Community Housing Act
Editor’s Note: The SF Community Housing Act (or, per the San Francisco Department of Elections, “Parcel Tax for Affordable Rental Housing Program”) is in the signature-gathering phase to qualify for the November ballot. HANC has not yet made its endorsements for November, but has given the proponents of this measure an opportunity to explain their measure both here in the Voice and at our June meeting.
The housing affordability crisis in San Francisco didn’t begin overnight: federal cuts to HUD by presidents like Reagan and Trump, coupled with trickle-down tax cuts for corporations, and an unchecked, insatiable real-estate market, have driven displacement. Development decisions are often guided by private investors looking for a return on investment, not social good.