The dated Department of Motor Vehicles building at the edge of San Francisco’s Panhandle is set to be renovated and transformed into a mixed-use building that will include hundreds of affordable homes, the Governor’s Office said Thursday.
Gov. Gavin Newsom announced a plan to transform the state-owned site into a first-of-its-kind project combining 372 affordable units with a DMV field office. The tallest building would stand eight stories high.
The DMV that’s stood in this same spot at Fell and Baker Streets since 1960 is notoriously outdated and doesn’t comply with current health and safety codes. Now it’s set to be demolished to make way for not only a more modern DMV but also one of the city’s largest affordable housing complexes.
An aerial view of the Department of Motor Vehicles facility at Fell and Baker Streets east of the Panhandle in San Francisco.
State of California/Governor Gavin Newsom
Amber Walker, a resident who frequently finds herself waiting in line at the agency, says remembers a time when the DMV line spilled into Fell Street and wrapped around the corner. She often clears her schedule for upcoming appointments.
“It’s like I have to take off hours, you know,” Walker said. “Just to be able to come here.”
Supervisor Dean Preston has been working with state officials on the plan. He says the housing units will be in the parking lot outside the DMV.
“It’s really exciting to see,” Preston said.
The housing will be specifically for those making 30-80% of the area’s median income. This new project is the latest in the state’s effort to build more housing and curb rent prices. San Francisco must meet a state-mandated target of building 82,000 housing units by 2031, with more than half being affordable.
Across the street at Falletti Foods, store manager Justin Brim says the new housing would be a godsend for small local businesses still feeling the burn after the pandemic.
“It’s been a long COVID. Bringing more people to the neighborhood will be really good,” Brim said. “And then also, affordable housing is really vital for San Francisco right now at the moment.”
It’s not clear yet what the housing units will look like next to the DMV, but Preston says they’ll most likely be stacked, with parking moved underground.
The renovated DMV facility is scheduled to be completed by June 2029 with the housing units to be available in 2030.
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