Why San Francisco has the second-highest construction costs in the world (NYC was #1)

[Pedestrian]

By Roland Li – Reporter, San Francisco Business Times

San Francisco has the world's second-highest construction costs because of complex, burdensome approvals, a severe labor shortage and easy paths for opponents to delay projects, according to a new report.

The city's average construction costs of $330 per square foot was second only to New York, according to a study last year by Turner and Townsend, a construction consultant. Apartments cost around $425,000 per unit to build, exacerbating the region's housing crisis by requiring high rents or massive public subsidies to make construction feasible.

UC Berkeley's Terner Center for Housing Innovation surveyed developers, contractors, architects and nonprofits building market-rate and affordable residential projects on why costs are so high. Respondents said that city agencies have a complex and unwieldy permitting process, noting “additional hoops and requirements seem to pop up at various stages in the process." They also pointed out that building inspections that aren't standardized and lack of coordination between departments adds time to the process . . . .

https://www.bizjournals.com/sanfranc...515&j=79610771

From the linked report (a PDF document)

[coyotetrickster]

Originally Posted by Pedestrian

https://www.bizjournals.com/sanfranc...515&j=79610771

From the linked report (a PDF document)

I can name them: Sue Hestor, Aaron Peskin, Jon Golinger, Calvin Welch and the homeowning NIMBYs on the west side.

[Urban Zombie]

I didn't read the full article, but I'm guessing a lack of buildable land is also a major factor (was this mentioned?).

[mthd]

Originally Posted by Urban Zombie

I didn't read the full article, but I'm guessing a lack of buildable land is also a major factor (was this mentioned?).

reading through the original study, it doesn't look like land costs are included.

[dc_denizen]

Corrupt Unions

Mono-party champagne socialist rule for 50 years.

Financial wealth causing inflation of other service costs.