Request for Historical and Coastal Exemption of Clement Street and Geary Boulevard Adjacent to Lincoln Manor
Mayor Lurie & Members of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors & Planning Commission,
On behalf of the Lincoln Manor Neighborhood Association, we write to express our deep concern about the proposed blanket upzoning of Clement Street and Geary Boulevard in our historic Outer Richmond neighborhood. We strongly urge you to grant a historical and coastal exemption to:
- Clement Street, west of 33rd Avenue to 45th Avenue
- Geary Boulevard, between 36th and 38th Avenues
This is a critical step to protect Lincoln Manor, align with recent carve-outs, and ensure that Shore View (est. 1912–1916) retains its shoreline views, without living in shadow from 8-story Geary developments.
Why an Exemption is Warranted
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Transit & Parking Issues
The Outer Richmond is unfortunately a transit desert and remains largely car-dependent, especially since many jobs are located south on the Peninsula and unreachable by public transit from this area. Closing the Great Highway—which this neighborhood relied on and voted against by nearly 90%—worsened commutes. Proposed cuts to public transit will further hinder this area from being able to support the dramatic density increases currently envisioned. The lack of parking requirements for new developments will further strain our already limited parking supply, as the VA Hospital (5 blocks away) already overflows to park here.
It would make far more sense for the city to focus upzoning efforts in areas with significant public transit speed and investment—such as the $90 million–enhanced Taraval line, which connects the Outer Sunset to downtown San Francisco in 28 minutes, compared to the 38R Geary bus, which takes twice as long. Taraval and its surrounding corridor is better equipped to support additional commuters and new housing than the Outer Richmond.
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Clement Street’s Unique Character and Coastal Context
West of 33rd Avenue, Clement Street is a low-traffic, residential street overlooking Lincoln Park, the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, and Land’s End Trail on the north side of the street. A popular bike route, the road is closed for several events throughout the year, such as the recent Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon. There are no buses or commercial businesses of any kind past 33rd. Building 6-story structures here would block the natural beauty of the coastline and cast shadows on the city’s designated green belt, extending from 33rd all the way to the ocean (and which includes popular draws like the GGNRA and Lincoln Park Golf Course and Playground). City leaders stated that coastal-adjacent streets would be excluded from upzoning, and Seal Rock Drive (which Clement becomes west of 45th Avenue) is already exempt from upzoning. Clement Street west of 33rd deserves the same coastal-adjacent exclusion as The Great Highway and Sea Cliff-facing residences.
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Geary Boulevard’s Bordering Historical Significance
The segment of Geary Boulevard directly bordering Lincoln Manor (36th–38th Aves.) should also be exempt. These blocks face a residential district of Edwardian-era homes built between 1912 and 1916 by developers Lyon & Hoag and the S.A. Born Building Company—homes that are a living testament to San Francisco’s early 20th-century residence park movement (see Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lincoln_Manor and https://lincolnmanor.org for additional historical context). Upzoning here would irrevocably alter this historic streetscape. Comparable residence parks, including Sea Cliff and St. Francis Wood, have already been granted upzoning exemptions.
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California Street Carve-out as a Precedent
We note that the city has already exempted the Sea Cliff end of California St. (27th–32nd Avenues) from upzoning—even though that stretch is on the 1 California bus line. Similar to the excluded Sea Cliff, Lincoln Manor has generous garden setbacks, which are enjoyed by Outer Richmond residents from a wide radius for dog & family walks. Excluding Geary Street adjacent to Lincoln Manor & Clement St. west of 33rd Avenue would be consistent with other exemptions & critical to preserving this area for all.
Affordability Is A Good Goal—But This Blanket Proposal Will Reduce Family Housing
We are also concerned by the proposed citywide implementation of density decontrol, which threatens to displace entry-level and starter homes in favor of high-end developments. As Supervisor Chyanne Chen pointed out in the June 16 hearing, families often move to western SF seeking extra bedrooms to house their children, and sometimes additional generations like grandparents; our neighborhood already has several multi-generational homes, which benefit families. The Planning Commission offering a promise that at least 25% of units would be 2BR+ does not effectively support families and downsizes the limited supply of single-family housing stock (as Supervisor Chen pointed out, currently less than 10% of all units in SF are 4BR+).
We do not believe the current upzoning proposal meaningfully advances the goal of supporting families and improving housing affordability. Too often, new developments include only the bare minimum of low-income units while focusing on ultra-luxury housing designed to maximize investor returns—while further eroding the availability of starter and middle-income homes that anchor our diverse communities. The Westerly development in the Outer Sunset offers a cautionary example, with units now struggling to sell at $1.2 to $1.6 million. Rather than adding affordable housing, this proposal is likely to fuel the creation of smaller and more expensive units. Instead of inviting overdevelopment, the city should focus on reclaiming the estimated 50,000 vacant units held by foreign investors, ensuring that San Francisco remains a place to live, not merely a holding bank for speculative foreign capital.
Next Steps and Community Engagement
The city’s decision to protect neighborhoods with historic and coastal value—such as Sea Cliff and The Great Highway—affirm the importance of preserving these special enclaves. These streets deserve the same thoughtful consideration.
We invite city officials to walk the greater Lincoln Manor neighborhood with us. You will see firsthand why our neighborhood is a beloved walking and biking route for residents throughout San Francisco. You will enjoy the lovely and historic homes and front gardens throughout our neighborhood and understand why six to eight story buildings on Geary and Clement would destroy our neighborhood’s beauty and charm. And you will appreciate our neighborhood’s already healthy mix of housing types and price points. We also encourage you to walk farther out Clement Street past the VA so you can see how important this Green Belt is to the neighborhood and the city. We believe that seeing it firsthand will help you understand why this area merits a thoughtful exemption. Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Currently at 90+ signatures
The Lincoln Manor Neighborhood Association & Friends