Development Impact Fees

The City imposes development impact fees on development projects in order to mitigate the impacts caused by new development on public services, infrastructure and facilities. For example, the burden on the transit system created by a new office building is offset through the payment of an impact fee used to improve MUNI.

Impact Fees are different from, and apply in addition to, application fees, which are used to cover the cost of the City’s review of a given proposal. For the most part, impact fees are assessed by the Planning Department and are collected by the Department of Building Inspection (DBI) upon permit issuance.

Some impact fees apply throughout the City to various types of development projects. Others apply only in certain neighborhoods. Another type of impact fee only applies when a builder chooses to pay them in-lieu of meeting a particular Planning Code requirement (e.g. usable open space).

Useful links:

• Article 4 of the San Francisco Planning Code [enabling legislation for most impact fees.]
• San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) Resolution Number 07-0100 and Number 07-0099 the associated Rates Schedules [specifying water and wastewater capacity charge.]
• California Education Code Section 17620 [enabling legislation for the City’s school fee.]
• Implementing our Community Plans [the Planning Department’s discussion of what impact fees fund.]
• DBI Development Fee Collection Unit [DBI’s division devoted to the collection of impact fees.]
• Neighborhood-Specific Impact Fee Map [a map identifying the areas subject to various impact fees.]
• Director’s Bulletin #1: An Overview of Development Impact Fees [a general overview of all impact fees.]
• Inclusionary Affordable Housing Program [a general overview of the program and affordable housing fee]