San Francisco upzoning test offers density lessons for London housing debate

San Francisco’s Planning Commission has approved a housing project that is the first to be permitted under the city’s new upzoning law, a move designed to boost the housing supply in a city with some of the highest rents in the United States. The proposal would replace a two‑storey building with an eight‑storey, 34‑unit condo tower at 230 Anza Street, drawing both support for its density and criticism for its height in a predominantly low‑rise neighbourhood.

The project, reported by Brad Hamilton of CBS News and picked up by Planetizen, is the first test of San Francisco’s recent upzoning legislation, which allows taller buildings in certain areas to accelerate housing delivery. A spokesperson for the city’s Planning Department said the scheme “will add a mix of affordable and market‑rate apartments, including apartments for families – the critical ‘missing middle’ housing needed to keep families in the City.” Commissioner Amy Campbell acknowledged that the design “looks awkward” in the existing context but added that the neighbourhood’s previous restrictions had prevented any development above two storeys, making the shift inevitable.

The approval process was not without controversy. Opponents argued that the eight‑storey tower is out of step with the surrounding low‑rise fabric, a familiar tension in cities trying to densify established residential areas. The project includes a number of affordable units – the exact split was not specified in the available reports – and is intended to help meet San Francisco’s ambitious housing targets.

Key facts

London context

For London readers, the San Francisco case offers a useful comparative lens. The capital has its own upzoning tools, most notably the density‑related policies in the London Plan, which encourage taller buildings near transport hubs and in designated Opportunity Areas. Borough‑level initiatives, such as the Mayor’s Housing Zones and the recent push for ‘gentle density’ in outer London, have generated similar debates about height, neighbourhood character and the so‑called ‘missing middle’ of family‑sized homes.

The tension in San Francisco – between a city desperate for more housing and a community resistant to taller buildings – mirrors the dynamics seen in London boroughs such as Haringey, Southwark and Brent, where planning committees regularly weigh the need for density against local opposition. The San Francisco project also highlights the importance of clear upzoning rules: the new law gave developers a predictable path to approval, reducing uncertainty that can stall schemes.

However, the two cities are not directly comparable. San Francisco’s planning system, land values and housing market dynamics differ significantly from London’s. The California project is a single private‑sector condo tower, while London’s housing delivery relies more heavily on large‑scale estate regeneration, public‑sector land disposal and affordable housing grant programmes. Still, the core question – how to build more homes in established low‑rise neighbourhoods without eroding the character that residents value – is a shared challenge.

What this means for London

The San Francisco approval does not set a precedent for London, but it does underscore that upzoning alone is not a panacea. Even with a new law in place, project‑by‑project scrutiny remains intense, and the design of individual buildings can become a flashpoint. London planners and housing advocates will watch how the tower proceeds – and whether it spurs similar projects – as a real‑world test of the political and practical viability of upzoning as a tool for housing supply.

The full details of the affordable‑unit count, rent levels and completion timeline for the 230 Anza Street tower were not available in the reporting used for this article. Readers should consult the original CBS News piece and San Francisco Planning Commission records for the verified numbers.

Source: Planetizen News, “8-story tower is San Francisco’s first project approved under new upzoning rules”, https://www.planetizen.com/news/2026/07/138099-8-story-tower-san-franciscos-first-project-approved-under-new-upzoning-rules