Steven L. Vettel
Of Counsel
San Francisco: 415.954.4902
Services
• Land Use / Development
• Real Estate
Education
• University of California,
Berkeley, School of Law (J.D.,
1984)
• Stanford University (B.A.,
1977)
Bar Admissions
• California
Steven Vettel is one of the San Francisco's leading land use attorneys, and represents residential,
commercial and institutional developers, and property owners. He specializes in assisting his clients in
obtaining governmental permits and other necessary entitlements for their real estate development projects.
He also negotiates public/private real estate arrangements, such as development agreements and land
disposition agreements, and has drafted and secured numerous general plan amendments and rezoning
actions.
Steve has successfully represented several major developers in obtaining land use entitlements for the
construction of some of the Bay Area’s largest developments, including several high-rise residential towers in
downtown San Francisco, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art expansion project, the Potrero and
Sunnydale HOPE-SF public housing reconstruction projects, and the University of California's University
Village project in the City of Albany. In the face of tough opposition, he has obtained land use entitlements for
redevelopment and improvement of several underutilized urban sites throughout the Bay Area, including
shopping centers, closed schools, and underutilized religious facilities, often involving the rehabilitation or
replacement of historic structures.
Steve also litigates land use disputes. He counsels clients on California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)
compliance and defends his clients’ environmental review documents in both administrative and judicial
forums.
The San Francisco Bay Area has one of the country’s most challenging entitlements environments. With over
three decades of land use and development experience, Steve is one of the best-known and most effective
attorneys in the city. He knows the decisionmakers, knows the consultants, and above all, really knows the
city. He is a familiar and respected presence in San Francisco City Hall, and is a team leader, strategist, and
high-level advisor who knows, above all, how to put together projects that work.
Distinctions
• Chambers USA, Real Estate: Zoning/Land Use (2011-2019)
• Best Lawyers in America, Use and Zoning Law (2021-2025)
• International Who’s Who of Business Lawyers (Environmental Law)
• “Top 50 Development Lawyers” in 2014, The Daily Journal
• “Top 25 Land Use Leaders” in 2011, The Daily Journal
• Leading Lawyer - Land Use/Zoning, Legal 500 United States
• Hall of Fame, Land Use/Zoning, Legal 500 United States (2020)
• Northern California Super Lawyers in Land Use/Zoning since (2015-2023)
Memberships and Affiliations
• Board Member, Friends of San Francisco City Planning
• Director (and former Vice Chair), San Francisco Planning and Urban Research Association
• Former Co-Chair, ACLU of Northern California's Lawyers Counsel
• Former Member, Executive Committee, San Francisco Housing Action Coalition
• Former Member, Action Plan Advisory Committee, San Francisco Planning Department
• Former Co-Chair, Diversity Committee, Farella Braun + Martel
Experience
San Francisco Transbay Parcel F Tower Approved
Represented the joint venture of Hines, Urban Pacific Development, and Goldman Sachs to secure approval
for the construction of a 61-story, 800-foot tall mixed-use tower adjacent to the Transbay Terminal on Howard
St. known as Transbay Parcel F. It will be the fourth-tallest building and second tallest residential tower in
San Francisco.
3400 Cesar Chavez/555 Bartlett Street, San Francisco
In the face of well-organized opposition, we assisted Seven Hill Properties resist a CEQA appeal to the San
Francisco Board of Supervisors and obtain entitlements for a mixed-use project in San Francisco's Mission
District.
Diamond Heights Shopping Center
Represented the seller of the 75,000-square-foot Diamond Heights Shopping Center in San Francisco.
San Francisco Overlook
We represented San Francisco Overlook Development in obtaining entitlements for its Crestmont Drive
residential development in the Forest Knolls neighborhood of San Francisco located in Supervisorial District
7, and then assisted the team settle a lawsuit brought against the project by the adjacent homeowners
association.
Parcel P and 55 Ninth Street, San Francisco
Representing AvalonBay Communities in obtaining entitlements for two large apartment developments in San
Francisco’s Hayes Valley and Mid-Market neighborhoods.
888 Brannan Street, San Francisco
Representing SKS Investments in converting an historic but obsolete industrial and showroom building to a
state-of-the art technology office building in San Francisco’s South of Market district.
Nob Hill Masonic Center, San Francisco
Assisted the Freemasons of California and concert promoter Live Nation in obtaining permits to reposition the
historic Masonic Auditorium as a major concert venue, including the successful defense of several lawsuits
challenging the approvals.
55 Laguna (UC Extension Site), San Francisco
After obtaining land use entitlements, including general plan amendments, rezoning and conditional use
approvals for the 55 Laguna mixed-use development project located at the former University of California
Berkeley Extension Campus in San Francisco, we prevailed in the Superior Court and Court of Appeal
(unpublished decision) defending client AF Evans Development, Inc. in a CEQA lawsuit challenging the City
of San Francisco's approvals for the project (Save the Laguna Street Campus v. City and County of San
Francisco, et al.). 55 Laguna provides multifamily apartments, affordable senior units, public spaces, and
retail space. The project includes a combination of new construction, the adaptive reuse of three historically
significant buildings and the demolition of two others, which was the focus of the litigation.
Mercy Housing California
We successfully represented Mercy Housing in defending the project entitlements for the San Lorenzo Senior
Housing project, including prevailing in the Alameda County Superior Court and the California Court of
Appeal (Hancocks v. County of Alameda).
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
Represented SFMOMA in obtaining land use approvals for a major expansion of its facilities in the Yerba
Buena district of San Francisco, including new galleries to display the Doris and Donald Fisher Collection.
The project included the relocation of a City fire station off-site, acquisition of City property, air rights and
right-of-way, and the replacement of two historic resources with the museum addition and new fire station.
333 Harrison Street, San Francisco
For Emerald Fund, Inc., obtained entitlements for a 300+ unit apartment project, fronted by a new public
park, in San Francisco's emerging Rincon Hill neighborhood.
Tenderloin Neighborhood Development Corporation
We have represented TNDC on numerous affordable housing projects in San Francisco, including the Rosa
Parks II senior project in the Western Addition, the Kelly Cullen Community and the Eddy and Taylor Family
Housing in the Tenderloin neighborhood. We are currently assisting TNDC in obtaining entitlements for the
909 Howard Street project in the South of Market neighborhood.
AvalonBay Communities/BRIDGE Housing Corporation – Balboa Reservoir Project
Land use and real estate counsel to a partnership of AvalonBay and BRIDGE Housing seeking to purchase a
13-acre vacant reservoir site from the City and County of San Francisco and develop an 1,100 unit mixed-
income development, including negotiation of a land disposition agreement, general plan amendments,
rezoning and development agreement.
America’s Cup Pavilion, San Francisco
Represented Live Nation in defeating a last-minute appeal of the entertainment permit authorizing Live
Nation to present a summer concert series in conjunction with the America’s Cup sailing races in a temporary
9,000-seat pavilion at San Francisco’s Piers 27/29.
Institute on Aging/BRIDGE Housing Corporation
Assisted the Institute on Aging and BRIDGE Housing Corporation in obtaining land use entitlements to
demolish the vacant Coronet Theater in San Francisco’s Richmond District and replace it with a mixed-use
project containing two floors of health and social services for seniors and low-income senior rental units
above. In the face of intense opposition from some immediate neighbors, we obtained unanimous votes from
both the San Francisco Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors, and successfully defended the
project’s EIR and use permit in San Francisco Superior Court.
Transbay Parcel F and Block 4 Projects
Counsel to a partnership of Hines, Goldman Sachs and Urban Pacific to entitle a 750-foot tall mixed use
tower (office, hotel and residential) that will be the fourth tallest in San Francisco immediately adjacent to the
under construction Transbay Terminal and a 550-foot residential tower nearby.
Grand Hyatt, Union Square, San Francisco
Assisted Hyatt Equities with defending the Grand Hyatt's favorable position in a limited queue of hotel rooms
eligible for conversion to condominiums in the face of an appeal by UNITE HERE, the local hotel workers'
union.
555 Howard Street and 1125 Market Street
Counsel to Pacific Eagle, a Singapore based investor/developer, in obtaining land use entitlements for two
hotel projects in San Francisco. 555 Howard is a 385-foot mixed hotel/residential tower in the Transbay
District that will be the first commercial building in San Francisco designed by Renzo Piano Building
Workshop.
1500 Mission Street Project, San Francisco
Counsel to The Related Companies in obtaining environmental clearance, rezoning and land use
entitlements for the 1500 Mission Street Project that will couple over 550 units of rental housing with a new
office building and permit center to be design/built by Related for the City and County of San Francisco.
800 Brotherhood Way, San Francisco
Obtained entitlements for the subdivision of a large site near Lake Merced in southwestern San Francisco
into 121 lots for the construction of 182 single-family homes and duplexes. After defeating an administrative
appeal of the project's mitigated negative declaration, we successfully defended the project approvals in the
Superior Court and California Court of Appeal, and successfully defended a separate Superior Court
challenge to the City's issuance of a tree removal permit.
1066 Market Street, San Francisco
Counsel to Shorenstein Properties in obtaining land use entitlements for a 305-unit residential project in San
Francisco’s Mid-Market/Tenderloin neighborhood, including the drafting and negotiating of an ordinance
authorizing a unique off-site affordable housing strategy in order to resolve an appeal of the project’s permit.
Group I: 950 Market Street
Land use and real estate counsel to Group I in obtaining land use entitlements, including enactment of a
special zoning exemption, for construction of a mixed use hotel/residential/retail project in San Francisco Mid-
Market/Tenderloin neighborhood and negotiating a hotel services agreement.
8th and Harrison Street and 1000 16th Street, San Francisco
Counsel to Archstone in obtaining land use entitlements for two 400+ unit residential projects in San
Francisco’s South of Market and Potrero Hill districts.
Nick Podell Companies
In 2016, we obtained land use entitlements for a controversial residential project in San Francisco’s Mission
District at 2000 Bryant Street, dubbed the “Beast on Bryant” by project opponents, including obtaining a
unanimous vote at the Board of Supervisors to reject an appeal of the project’s CEQA exemption and large
project authorization. We worked extensively with the Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community
Development to fashion a land dedication alternative to satisfy the project’s inclusionary housing obligation
and enable MOHCD to build a 100% affordable development on a portion of the project site.
One Rincon Hill, San Francisco
Obtained the land use entitlements for our client Urban West Associates of San Diego to construct two high-
rise residential towers atop San Francisco's Rincon Hill, one of 59 stories and the other of 47 stories, totaling
709 condominiums and townhouses. Our representation included negotiating a General Plan amendment
and rezoning for the entire Rincon Hill area, obtaining a height limit increase from 200 feet to 550 feet,
obtaining permits to demolish a historic structure on the site, negotiating a feasible impact fee package and
the formation of a Mello-Roos community facilities district to finance those fees.
655 Folsom – Forton Fund
Provided land use advice for a residential project in San Francisco.
National Real Estate Advisors/Emerald Fund: 100 and 150 Van Ness Avenue
Representing an affiliate of a national construction trades pension fund in obtaining land use approvals to
convert an obsolete San Francisco office building obtained in foreclosure to 400 rental apartments and
construction next of an additional 420 units in a new building next door. After building permits were issued,
we successfully defeated an appeal of a construction permit filed by an adjoining property owner.
Mercy Housing/Related California
We are land use counsel to Sunnydale Development Company, a joint venture of Mercy Housing California
and Related California for the Sunnydale HOPE-SF public housing replacement project that will redevelop a
dilapidated public housing site into a 1700-unit mixed income development, including replacement 1 for 1 of
the public housing units. We assisted in preparation of the EIR/EIS, creation of a special use district, and the
negotiation of a Development Agreement between the San Francisco Housing Authority, the City and
Sunnydale Development Company.
BRIDGE Housing Corporation Public Housing Replacement Project
We are land use counsel to BRIDGE for the Potrero Terrace and Annex HOPE-SF public housing
replacement project that will redevelop two dilapidated public housing sites into a 1700-unit mixed income
development, including replacement 1 for 1 of the public housing units. We assisted in preparation of the
EIR/EIS, creation of a special use district, and the negotiation of a Development Agreement between the San
Francisco Housing Authority, the City and BRIDGE.
1150 Ocean Avenue, San Francisco
Assisted AvalonBay Communities in obtaining land use entitlements for a mixed-use project including 173
residential units and a grocery store. The project required a rezoning of the site and negotiation of an
infrastructure "in-kind" agreement allowing the development to construct needed on-site infrastructure
improvements in lieu of paying impact fees.
BRIDGE Housing Corporation Land Use Entitlements
We represent BRIDGE in obtaining land use entitlements for the 4840 Mission project in San Francisco,
which like 250 Laguna Honda Boulevard, was awarded a Proposition A grant.
The Gas Light Building, San Francisco
Obtained both local landmark and conditional use authorization to add an interior floor and to make certain
revisions to the exterior of the Gas Light Building in San Francisco.
Publications
April 23, 2021
California Court of Appeal Upholds Validity of SB 35 to Streamline Approval of Affordable Housing
Projects
November 25, 2019
New California Housing Laws: AB 68 Accessory Dwelling Units
November 18, 2019
Newly Adopted California Housing Laws – Assembly Bill 1485 Streamlining the Permit Process for
Housing Developments
November 11, 2019
Newly Adopted California Housing Laws - Senate Bill 330 Housing Crisis Act
October 28, 2019
Upcoming Changes to California Housing Laws – AB 1482 Tenant Protection Act
September 4, 2019
San Francisco COPA Program Rules Released
9/27/2017
California Legislature Responds to the State’s Housing Crisis With Increased Funding, Streamlining,
and Enforcement
7/12/2017
What You Need to Know About San Francisco’s Inclusionary Affordable Housing Program
12/21/2015
California Supreme Court Rejects CEQA Guideline Requiring Analysis of the Existing Environment’s
Impacts on a Proposed Project
8/24/2015
Density Bonus Comes to San Francisco
6/18/2015
California Supreme Court Upholds Validity of Inclusionary Housing Ordinances
3/4/2015
California Supreme Court Strengthens CEQA’s Categorical Exemptions
8/7/2013
San Francisco Takes Steps to Rationalize the CEQA Process
2/2/2011
Recent Developments in San Francisco Land Use Entitlements Procedures
3/24/2010
A Wake-Up Call For Cities And Counties To Meet Regional Housing Needs
3/15/2010
Changes To San Francisco’s Inclusionary Housing Program For Rental Projects
7/27/2009
Subdivision Map Act Extension Bill (AB 333) Provides Relief from Map Deadlines
7/15/2009
Alert: The Formal Comment Period for the Climate Change-Related Amendments to the CEQA
Guidelines is Now Open
7/1/2009
On the Hot Seat: Climate action plans become a new reality for California cities' long-term master
plans and land-use document
4/27/2009
Historic Preservation Considerations In Infill Development
4/20/2009
Alert: OPR Sends Proposed CEQA Guideline Amendments to Resources Agency
1/21/2009
Alert: OPR Releases Draft Amendments to CEQA Guidelines to Incorporate Consideration of
Greenhouse Gas Emissions
12/24/2008
San Francisco Land Use Updates
11/2/2008
Alert: CARB Releases Preliminary Draft of Recommended Approaches for Setting Significance
Thresholds for Greenhouse Gases under CEQA
6/24/2008
Alert: Office of Planning and Research Releases Technical Advisory on CEQA and Climate Change
Outside the Office
Steve is a road bicyclist, a beach aficionado and a food and wine buff, which is a really good thing in San
Francisco.
