California Bill Aiming to Revitalize Downtown San Francisco Passes First Legislative Hurdle

It would temporarily remove environmental reporting requirements to save projects years of potential litigation and appeals.
California Bill Aiming to Revitalize Downtown San Francisco Passes First Legislative Hurdle
Pedestrians walk by an empty retail space in San Francisco on May 9, 2023. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
Jill McLaughlin
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California legislation that aims to make downtown San Francisco less “office-focused” has passed its legislative first hurdle.

A bill proposed by San Francisco’s Sen. Scott Wiener aims to help transform the city’s beleaguered downtown by creating a “revitalization zone,” temporarily removing environmental reporting required by the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), and providing some developers with tax breaks.

Jill McLaughlin
Jill McLaughlin
Author
Jill McLaughlin is an award-winning journalist covering politics, environment, and statewide issues. She has been a reporter and editor for newspapers in Oregon, Nevada, and New Mexico. Jill was born in Yosemite National Park and enjoys the majestic outdoors, traveling, golfing, and hiking.