SAN FRANCISCO—The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) is considering building affordable housing for operators to combat a shortage, as reported by the San Francisco Examiner.
Muni’s Potrero Yard at 1899 Bryant Street is the proposed location for construction. The yard has housed hundreds of transit vehicles since 1915. The agency discussed building up to 525 units, with half of them being affordable housing.
Data collected by SFMTA shows that 58 percent of their 2,000 drivers live outside the boundaries of the city. Some Muni operators argue that driving for their personal commutes disrupts their ability to drive buses for extended hours. The city of San Francisco outlined a goal to hire about 500 new drivers by the summer of 2021.
The housing development is part of a $400 million plan to modernize Potrero Yard so that it includes charging ports for the busses. Housing was not included in the budget. San Francisco set precedent when Proposition A passed to fund educator housing.
