San Francisco's planning and permitting process has become so complicated and expensive that former advocates of preservation are now fighting back against the city's historic preservation efforts.
"San Francisco's planning and permitting process has long been notoriously laborious. Then, in 2008, voters passed a ballot initiative that transformed the city's Historical Preservation Commission from an advisory body to one with enforcement powers over land use decisions. The measure, backed by Aaron Peskin, the outgoing Board of Supervisors president, was seen as a coup de grâce by the antidevelopment members of the board who had risen in power during the 2000s," writes Matt Smith in The New York Times.
... "For some historic building buffs, however, the Duboce Park backlash raises the question: If city preservationists cannot obtain support for preserving a pristine cluster of Victorian houses, will they be able to proceed with seemingly more controversial plans to keep development out of dormant industrial zones?"
FULL STORY: An Unlikely Group Rebels Against Preservation Districts
Whose History Is Being Preserved, Exactly?
As the housing crisis continues, advocates are increasingly wary of historic preservation efforts that serve to perpetuate historic inequities and keep housing costs high.
New Development Projects Boost San Francisco's Northern Waterfront
The historic Fort Mason, along with several other development projects, has helped alter the landscape of the city’s northern waterfront, according to Jim Chappell, former head of the San Francisco Planning and Urban Research Association.
Addressing Preservation and its Problems in San Francisco
As officials in San Francisco debate the city's historic preservation policies, this column looks back at some of the ways the city has successfully preserved its past and some of the ways the process is broken.
National Parks Layoffs Will Cause Communities to Lose Billions
Thousands of essential park workers were laid off this week, just before the busy spring break season.
Retro-silient?: America’s First “Eco-burb,” The Woodlands Turns 50
A master-planned community north of Houston offers lessons on green infrastructure and resilient design, but falls short of its founder’s lofty affordability and walkability goals.
Delivering for America Plan Will Downgrade Mail Service in at Least 49.5 Percent of Zip Codes
Republican and Democrat lawmakers criticize the plan for its disproportionate negative impact on rural communities.
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Balancing Bombs and Butterflies: How the National Guard Protects a Rare Species
The National Guard at Fort Indiantown Gap uses GIS technology and land management strategies to balance military training with conservation efforts, ensuring the survival of the rare eastern regal fritillary butterfly.
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