Supes ban foam and add another homeless tent camp proposal

Legislation by Supervisor London Breed that passed unanimously Tuesday will bar the product, widely used in food packaging, packing peanuts and ice chests, beginning Jan. 1.

Though inexpensive and lightweight, polystyrene foam has long been controversial because it takes centuries to decompose, contaminating the ecosystem and clogging landfills.

Grocers will get a six-month waiver to phase out foam meat trays, and companies that ship medicines in temperature-controlled containers will likely continue using it for at least a few more years.

Under Kim’s measure, homeless people would receive notice seven days before a sweep of an encampment, and the city would be required to offer services and shelter to its occupants for at least 90 days.

Kim’s proposal contrasts with Farrell’s ballot measure, under which camps would be banned and the city could place their residents into shelters within 24 hours of notifying its residents of a sweep.

The bonus would allow affordable projects to add extra floors to buildings along commercial corridors, exempting them from zoning code height limits.

The supervisors also considered for-profit housing Tuesday when, by a 6-5 vote, progressive members passed a resolution opposing a state “by right housing approval” measure introduced by Gov. Jerry Brown that would streamline the environmental review process for proposed housing projects that are consistent with local zoning.

While proponents say it would add much-needed housing to a rapidly growing city, opponents claim it would harm San Francisco’s approval process.