Council Overhauls Affordable Housing Rules in Marathon Hearing

Pacifica's City Council unanimously introduced a sweeping rewrite of its density bonus and inclusionary housing ordinances Monday night, replacing codes as old as four decades with modern rules that extend rental affordability to 99 years and add a new income tier for the city's lowest earners. The nearly two-hour public hearing on the housing overhaul was bookended by a flood of residents demanding the council cancel its Flock surveillance camera contract and an emotional push to extend a safe parking program set to expire this month.

• Modernized affordable housing ordinance introduced unanimously, extending rental affordability to 99 years and adding a 50% AMI income tier

• At least eight speakers urge council to cancel Flock license plate reader contract, citing privacy, litigation risk and 250+ opposition letters

• Advocates plead to extend expiring Safe Parking Program that has rehoused 38 individuals before month-end deadline

• School district's 70-unit workforce housing project advances, with all 11 below-market-rate units in the first construction phase

• Nick Gracia named fire chief for Pacifica, Daly City and Brisbane after national search

• Yes on Measure BB campaign launches for 1% city sales tax, backed by Teamsters and county Democrats

The council's marquee action was a first reading of Text Amendment TA-129-26, repealing and replacing Article 41 (Density Bonus) and Article 47 (Below Market Rate/Inclusionary Housing) of the Pacifica Municipal Code. The current density bonus ordinance dates to the 1980s and is effectively unenforceable; the inclusionary housing rules are roughly 20 years old.