Nearly 10% of S.F. housing units are vacant — ‘Empty Homes’ initiative would tax owners

San Francisco Supervisor Dean Preston has filed, along with housing advocates, a ballot measure to tax owners of certain vacant residential units in an effort to increase the city’s affordable housing stock.

Preston, along with the groups Democratic Socialists of America San Francisco Chapter and Faith in Action Bay Area, have called the measure the “Empty Homes Tax” ballot initiative.