Soaring home prices and socioeconomic tensions associated with gentrification are among the most sobering and controversial realities of life in San Francisco, but not all are convinced that the housing crunch is unsolvable. This month's issue of SPUR's The Urbanist magazine, which bears the title "It's Not Too Late To Make San Francisco Affordable Again", reveals fundamental policy changes that could have a major effect on curbing the price of shelter. The recommendations, which include protecting rent controlled housing, reinvesting in and increasing the supply of all types of homes, and starting a wave of experiments to produce middle income units, could make a dent in SF's overheated property market if implemented in tandem. Nevertheless, considering this city's history of underbuilding and fierce community opposition to mid-sized, seemingly innocuous projects, the recommendations presented by the think tank may seem far-fetched. In any case, the issue highlights the fact that crisis level has been reached, and that the city must act now in order to ensure that San Francisco can remain a place where people from every economic background are able to coexist.
· How to Make San Francisco Affordable Again [SPUR]
· 8 Washington Coverage [Curbed]
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