Episode #1: Solving Housing with Sam Moss

In this debut WE ARE SAN FRANCISCO episode, host Ben Kaplan invites Sam Moss, Executive Director of Mission Housing Development Corporation, to decode the complex housing crisis in San Francisco.

From zoning laws to political will, Sam Moss presents a unique perspective on the city's housing woes and potential solutions.

Discover the untold story of the city's housing landscape, the human costs involved, and whether the key to change lies within San Francisco itself or beyond its boundaries at the state level. Tune in for an enlightening discussion on how to make housing affordable and accessible in San Francisco.

• San Francisco’s housing problem is a combination of political, bureaucratic, and operational issues.
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• One of the biggest obstacles is discretionary review — the process by which any individual or organization with their own narrow interest can slow down any attempt to create more housing.
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• Eliminating that slow-down review process — along with taking a more thoughtful approach on a neighborhood by neighborhood basis — could do wonders for our city.
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• WE could build an express checkout lane for creating new city housing — a housing "fast track" when you meet all of the city’s written development rules.
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• WE could simplify housing rules to speed up the process, add greater transparency, and reduce overall cost.
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• Instead of waiting on a solution from the state, with enough collective will and alignment, WE could spark great change, find sensible solutions, and make housing so much more affordable and accessible.