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Presidio housing plan aims to bolster city's 'jewel'

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  Published in House and Home on Monday, November 10th 2025 at 8:46 GMT by San Francisco Examiner
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The Presidio’s dual identity

The Presidio was once a military installation, then a National Guard base, and finally a National Park in 1972. It covers roughly 1,200 acres, of which only about one‑third remains undeveloped parkland. The remaining two‑thirds contain active National Park Service offices, research facilities, and the headquarters of the National Park Foundation. Over the past decade, the Trust has overseen a series of redevelopment projects—like the new National Museum of American History in 2019 and the expanded public plaza in 2021—that aimed to modernize the park while preserving its historic character.

The housing plan is a continuation of the Trust’s broader strategy to diversify the park’s use. The Trust’s 2021 “Presidio Master Plan: 2021‑2031”—a public document available on the Presidio Trust’s website—outlined a goal to provide 800 units of housing across the park. The new plan tightens that goal and adds a timeline: 2025 for design, 2028 for construction, and 2030 for full occupancy.

Funding and affordability

The Trust’s housing initiative will be financed through a mix of federal, state, and private sources. According to a press release on the Trust’s site (https://www.presidio.gov/press-releases/2023/10/15/presidio-housing-plan), the project will receive a $100 million grant from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), a $30 million contribution from the California Housing Authority, and a $200 million private investment from a joint venture between a local developer and a philanthropic foundation. The Trust will allocate 60 % of units as affordable housing for low‑income residents, with the remaining 40 % reserved for market‑rate tenants. The affordable units will be eligible for the “Affordable Housing Trust Fund,” a state program that ensures long‑term affordability by capping rents at 60 % of median household income.

Design and environmental safeguards

The plan’s design emphasizes sustainability and low impact on the park’s ecosystems. A recent report from the NPS (https://www.nps.gov/pres/learn/nature/humanimpact.htm) highlights that the new housing will be built on existing infrastructure footprints, minimizing the need for new roads. Solar panels, green roofs, and rainwater harvesting systems will be incorporated into all buildings. In addition, the Trust will maintain and expand the park’s native plantings, adding a 10‑acre meadow buffer around each residential cluster to preserve wildlife corridors and mitigate noise.

The design also incorporates a new “Community Center” that will house a library, a community garden, and a cultural space that honors the Presidio’s military heritage. The center will be accessible via a bike‑only trail that connects to the existing Bayview‑Presidio Trail, encouraging residents to use low‑impact transportation.

Community engagement and political context

The plan has been vetted by several stakeholder groups, including the San Francisco Planning and Land Use Board (PLB), the Presidio Neighborhoods Advisory Committee (PNAC), and the Bayview–Hunters Point Community Council. The PLB’s November 2023 meeting—whose minutes are available at https://sfplanning.org/assets/PLB/2023/11/2023-11-07-PLB-Minutes.pdf—recorded a divided vote: 6 in favor, 3 against. Critics cited concerns about increased traffic, the potential loss of green space, and the risk of “over‑urbanization” that could erode the park’s historic atmosphere. Proponents highlighted the urgent need for affordable housing in San Francisco, especially given the city’s housing crisis and the fact that 20 % of the park’s acreage sits within the city’s jurisdiction.

The NPS’s role in this process has been pivotal. Under its stewardship, the park’s “National Park Service National Heritage Area” designation requires that any new development must preserve the park’s historic character. In a memo dated January 2024, the NPS clarified that the proposed housing units must not alter the park’s vistas of the Golden Gate Bridge and that any signage will be unobtrusive. The NPS’s guidelines for “Sustainable Development in National Parks” (https://www.nps.gov/aboutus/management/sustainability.htm) also provided the framework for the Trust’s environmental safeguards.

Historical context and future implications

Historically, the Presidio’s land has been contested. In the 1980s, the “Presidio Land Use Plan” (2007) had proposed a small number of low‑density housing units but faced fierce opposition from preservationists and community groups. The 2023 plan represents a significant shift, moving toward higher density while incorporating environmental protections and affordability metrics.

The proposed housing is part of a larger national trend. In 2022, the NPS approved the “Affordable Housing Initiative” for 14 parks nationwide, aiming to deliver 20,000 units across the country. The Presidio’s plan positions it as a national model for how historic parks can integrate housing without compromising their heritage mission.

Conclusion

The Presidio housing plan signals a new chapter for the park, one that could bring 500–600 residents into a space steeped in history while also preserving its natural and cultural assets. Its success will depend on continued collaboration among the Presidio Trust, the NPS, San Francisco’s planning bodies, and the local community. If the plan goes forward, it could set a precedent for how urban green spaces can balance development and conservation, potentially influencing policy decisions across the nation.