Office of Community Investment and Infrastructure

Office of Community Investment and Infrastructure
Name	Office of Community Investment and Infrastructure
Formed	2018
Jurisdiction	City and County of San Francisco
Headquarters	Moscone Center, San Francisco
Chief1 name	Christopher Wray
Chief1 position	Director
Parent agency	Office of Economic and Workforce Development

Office of Community Investment and Infrastructure is an agency within the municipal administration of San Francisco created to manage public land disposition, transit-oriented development, and major infrastructure projects. It coordinates redevelopment initiatives, public-private partnerships, and affordable housing production through planning, land use approvals, and financial structuring. The office interacts with municipal, regional, and federal entities to advance capital projects and neighborhood revitalization.

History

The office originated from municipal efforts following litigation and policy changes tied to redevelopment agencies in California, notably the dissolution of California Redevelopment Agencies and subsequent legislation. Its establishment followed debates in the San Francisco Board of Supervisors and executive actions by the Mayor of San Francisco to centralize development responsibilities previously handled by agencies such as the Redevelopment Agency (California), San Francisco Redevelopment Agency, and divisions within the San Francisco Planning Department. Early projects reflected precedents from the Mission Bay redevelopment and partnerships with institutions like the University of California, San Francisco and corporations including Tishman Speyer and Chevron Corporation. The office's formation was influenced by urban policy trends visible in cities such as New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston, and international examples like London and Singapore that emphasize transit-oriented development and public land stewardship.

Mission and Responsibilities

The office's stated mission aligns with municipal strategies promoted by the San Francisco Mayor's Office, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, and regional agencies such as the Metropolitan Transportation Commission and the Association of Bay Area Governments. Responsibilities include disposition of publicly owned parcels, implementation of master plans for districts including Transbay Transit Center, Hunter's Point Shipyard, and Treasure Island, promotion of affordable housing consistent with policies from the San Francisco Planning Department and San Francisco Housing Authority, and coordination with transit agencies like Bay Area Rapid Transit and San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency. It also engages with federal programs administered by entities such as the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development and United States Department of Transportation.

Organizational Structure

The office is led by a director appointed by the Mayor of San Francisco and confirmed by the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, reporting to executive offices akin to those in municipal administrations like the Office of Economic and Workforce Development and comparable departments in Seattle, Portland, Oregon, and Denver. Internal divisions mirror functions found in agencies such as the New York City Economic Development Corporation and include land management units, project development teams, finance and legal counsel, community outreach sections, and compliance officers. The office coordinates with the San Francisco Planning Commission, the San Francisco Board of Appeals, the California Department of Housing and Community Development, and quasi-governmental partners including the Golden State Warriors arena development stakeholders and civic entities like the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission.

Programs and Projects

Programs overseen by the office include transit-oriented development initiatives comparable to projects at Transbay Terminal, neighborhood revitalization efforts like South of Market, and large-scale infill developments akin to Mission Bay, Candlestick Point, and Oakland Coliseum District plans. Specific projects managed or facilitated often involve partnerships with private developers such as Webcor Builders, Bosa Development, and nonprofit housing providers like the San Francisco Housing Development Corporation and national actors including Enterprise Community Partners and Habitat for Humanity. The office administers land disposition processes, affordable housing set-asides influenced by Inclusionary Housing ordinances, and infrastructure coordination for projects funded by agencies like the Federal Transit Administration and state programs from the California Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank.

Funding and Financial Mechanisms

Funding sources reflect a mix of municipal financing, state grants, federal allocations, and private investment modeled on mechanisms used by entities such as the New York City Housing Development Corporation and the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Financial instruments include ground leases, tax increment-like arrangements reminiscent of historical redevelopment agency practices, bonds similar to municipal general obligation and revenue bonds, and public-private partnership contracts used in projects like the Transbay Transit Center and stadium developments. The office leverages low-income housing tax credits administered through the California Tax Credit Allocation Committee, HOME Investment Partnerships funds from HUD, and grant programs from the California Strategic Growth Council and California Department of Transportation.

Oversight, Accountability, and Impact Evaluation

Oversight mechanisms engage elected bodies such as the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, regulatory agencies like the California State Auditor and United States Government Accountability Office, and advisory commissions including the San Francisco Citizens' General Obligation Bond Oversight Committee. Accountability frameworks use performance metrics similar to those advocated by the Urban Institute, Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, and research centers at institutions like University of California, Berkeley, Stanford University, and Harvard University for evaluating affordable housing outcomes, displacement impacts studied in cases like Bayview-Hunters Point, and economic development analyses comparable to reports by the Brookings Institution and the RAND Corporation. Public transparency is facilitated through hearings before the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act, and audits conducted with reference to standards from the Governmental Accounting Standards Board.

Category:San Francisco government agencies