Dear THD Members and Neighbors,
On Tuesday, December 9, 2025, the Board of Supervisors approved the upzoning – known as the Lurie Family Zoning Plan – by a final vote of 6-4 (No: Chan, Walton, Chen, and Fielder — Aye: Melgar, Dorsey, Sauter, Mahmood, Sherill, and Mandelman (Wong voted Aye on December 2, but was absent for the vote on December). This decision will irrevocably reshape San Francisco and our neighborhoods more than any land-use legislative action in the past fifty years.
For the last two years, you have shown what true civic responsibility looks like. You attended neighborhood forums, read the legislation, studied the maps, sat through long hearings, asked the right questions, and even compromised and reached consensus with other neighbors you rarely agree with! You raised your voices for tenants and small businesses, for families, seniors, educators, nurses, first responders, and working people – the bedrock of San Francisco. You acted with patience, integrity, and a deep commitment to the well-being of others – values that define who we are.
Meanwhile, many in state and local government ignored the citizens they represent. They pushed a one-size-fits-all plan that dismisses the lived reality of long-established neighborhoods and erodes the right of residents to guide the future of their own communities. The message at times felt unmistakable: City Hall knows better than the people who actually live here.
And we must be honest about the plan itself.
First, the family zoning changes disregard the historic neighborhoods and neighborhood character that have shaped San Francisco for generations. Instead of protecting the cultural and architectural resources that define this city, the plan targets stable neighborhoods and commercial corridors as if their longevity was a flaw. That is not preservation – it is erasure.
Second, far too much of this process has been influenced by special interests who frame their agenda as “progress,” even as they sidestep the people most affected. The voices of families, seniors, artists, and long-time residents were too often treated as obstacles. It is hard to escape the conclusion that this plan reflects the priorities of the well-connected more than the neighborhoods whose lives will be reshaped by it.
Finally, there is a real and justified fear that this plan accelerates San Francisco toward a troubling economic divide: a city of the ultra-wealthy, with little room for the working and middle class that keeps the city functioning. The zoning overhaul does nothing to tackle the underlying drivers of displacement or the cost crisis; instead, it risks hollowing out the very people who make these neighborhoods vibrant, resilient, and diverse. Calling that “affordability” and “family planning” is not just misguided – it is unjust.
And yes – fighting City Hall is never easy. But this is a moment for courage. We are not fighting against San Francisco – we are fighting for the San Francisco we love, for a city that works with its residents, not against them.
As we move forward, remember who we are: For more than seventy years, since 1954, THD has worked hard to build, maintain, and celebrate the vitality, livability and sustainability of one of San Francisco’s most cherished neighborhood. We have embraced a vision of housing growth that prioritizes affordable housing while fully protecting our existing tenants, vibrant small businesses, historic resources, and diverse culture of District 3, safeguarding the soul, vitality, and vibrancy of our densely developed neighborhood. For more than seven decades, we have stood for stewardship, dignity, fairness, and our neighborhoods – guiding principles that shape responsible governance.
Each of us has a role:
We each have a voice. And we will keep insisting it be heard, even when our elected officials prefer not to listen.
We each can engage. Your volunteer work and civic participation embody service – and service is what strengthens a city.
We each have a vote. And in the coming months and years, that vote will matter more than ever. New taxes, charter reforms, ballot measures, and candidates will determine whether the government works with residents or continues to impose decisions on them.
We invite you to stay informed, stay engaged, and stay hopeful – 2026 will jump off with Mayor Lurie’s proposed Charter reform, a potential local ballot initiative on the upzoning plan, an election to replace Speaker Emeritus Nancy Pelosi in U.S. House of Representatives, and elections to replace two sitting City Supervisors.
Our strength comes from our neighborhoods – from our belief that we are responsible to one another, and that San Francisco serves leaders who act with integrity, humility, and genuine respect for the people they serve.
Onwards – We are proud to call you our neighbors.
With gratitude and resolve,
Nick Ferris
President, Telegraph Hill Dwellers
