Marinas serve the interest of the general public and are a public trust resource. Especially because marinas are rapidly disappearing all over the SF Bay, there is a benefit in maintaining marinas as a recreational resource for the benefit and good of public enjoyment and recreation. This includes allowing a reasonable number of percentage/allowances for people to live aboard their well-maintained boats.

The BCDC (Bay Conservation and Development Commission) was originally charged with only a 10% “houseboats” allowance/percentage rather than “liveaboards.” Later, they shifted that allowance to all people living on their boats.

Because Kilroy Realty is evicting all residents of Oyster Cove Marina in South SF and displacing elders, veterans, disabled, and working poor from our homes, we are losing dozens of liveaboard slips which are mostly unavailable at other local marinas. This is causing many established boat owners to become homeless and/or face the prospect of becoming an anchor-out which is creating undue stress for our entire community. Liveaboards are actually good for marinas. Liveaboards:

• Offer great security for local marinas.
• Are low-impact, low-cost housing 
• Add to the quality of life on docks and a liveliness to the areas in and around the harbor.
• Have good, well-maintained boats (and all of ours have passed yearly, multi-point inspections for almost half a decade).

Around the world, international maritime organizations and recreational boating organizations generally agree upon that optimal live-aboard number is 15-20%.

The key to good liveaboards is good management. Most marinas have excellent harbormasters who maintain tight standards for liveaboard vessels.

We respectfully ask the BCDC to please increase the liveaboard percentage/allowance from 10% to 20% to bring the SF Bay Area up to date and into the realm of 21st century international practices.

Next BCDC meeting Sept. 15 @ 1pm (zoom TBD)

Thank you for signing!

~San Francisco Bay Sailors & Marine Residents Advocacy Group                           (For more info, check out https://2pal.com/ or scan the QR code below.)