Anyone seeking to merge or remove any residential unit in San Francisco would have to get special authorization from the city's planning commission under proposed legislation, even if the unit is illegal.
In fact, the proposed amendment to the city's planning code would seek to legalize illegal units and require owners to apply for the appropriate building permits unless deemed unfeasible or the planning commission approves the removal of those units.
The existing planning code allows for (and usually requires) the removal of illegal units and allows the merger of a residential unit worth more than 80% of single-family homes in San Francisco (about $1.5M), according to SocketSite. The city's land use and transportation committee is reviewing the plan. [SS]
