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San Francisco

T(415) 273-7463

Education

  • LL.M., with merit, The London School of Economics and Political Science

  • J.D., University of Utah, S.J. Quinney College of Law

  • B.A., with honors, University of California, Santa Barbara

Bar Admissions

  • California

Court Admissions

  • U.S. Supreme Court

  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit

  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit

  • U.S. Court of Federal Claims

  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of California

  • U.S. District Court, Central District of California

  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of California

Memberships

  • Urban Land Institute (ULI) San Francisco District Council, Chair; Executive Board, Member; San Francisco Residential Product Council, former Vice-Chair; Programs Committee, former Co-Chair

  • Lambda Alpha International Golden Gate Chapter, Member

  • Bay Area Council, Housing and Government Relations Committees, Member

  • Building Industry Association of the Bay Area, Member

  • Housing Action Coalition (HAC), Regulatory Committee, Member

  • State Bar of California, Real Property Section, Member; Executive Committee, Former Vice-Chair

David H. Blackwell

Partner

David is a land use partner in the San Francisco office with more than 25 years of experience helping developers, property owners, corporations, financial institutions, and other clients navigate California’s complex regulatory and political processes and secure development project approvals. He has obtained entitlements for a vast spectrum of projects across the state, including residential, office, industrial, retail, R&D, life sciences, agricultural, and renewable energy developments.

David first invoked the Density Bonus Law over a dozen years ago to secure approvals for affordable housing projects in the Bay Area. He is deeply experienced with the state’s housing statutes, and has worked with legislators and organizations to promote new legislation in this area, including the passage of SB 1227, SB 290, and AB 1287, which amended the Density Bonus Law.

David has worked on projects throughout California, and has particular depth in the greater San Francisco Bay Area. In addition to obtaining entitlements, David has litigated numerous land use cases and has secured published decisions for his clients on a broad variety of issues, including the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the Subdivision Map Act, Elections Law, and the Mitigation Fee Act. He also serves on the firm's Management Committee.

David has published numerous articles, and is a co-author of Ballot Box Navigator: A Practical and Tactical Guide to Land Use Initiatives and Referenda in California, a comprehensive resource regarding local initiatives and referenda.

David currently serves as Chair of the ULI-San Francisco District Council, and has served on leadership positions with that organization for over a dozen years.

Accolades

  • Selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America in the fields of Real Estate Law, and Land Use & Zoning Law (2022 - 2025)
  • Selected for inclusion in Northern California Super Lawyers (2005, 2010 - 2025)
  • Named among the Top 100 Attorneys in Northern California by Super Lawyers (2015, 2022-2023)
  • Martindale-Hubbell® AV Preeminent rating

David first invoked the Density Bonus Law over a dozen years ago to secure approvals for affordable housing projects in the Bay Area. He is deeply experienced with the state’s housing statutes, and has worked with legislators and organizations to promote new legislation in this area, including the passage of SB 1227, SB 290, and AB 1287, which amended the Density Bonus Law.

David has worked on projects throughout California, and has particular depth in the greater San Francisco Bay Area. In addition to obtaining entitlements, David has litigated numerous land use cases and has secured published decisions for his clients on a broad variety of issues, including the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the Subdivision Map Act, Elections Law, and the Mitigation Fee Act. He also serves on the firm's Management Committee.

David has published numerous articles, and is a co-author of Ballot Box Navigator: A Practical and Tactical Guide to Land Use Initiatives and Referenda in California, a comprehensive resource regarding local initiatives and referenda.

David currently serves as Chair of the ULI-San Francisco District Council, and has served on leadership positions with that organization for over a dozen years.

Accolades

  • Selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America in the fields of Real Estate Law, and Land Use & Zoning Law (2022 - 2025)
  • Selected for inclusion in Northern California Super Lawyers (2005, 2010 - 2025)
  • Named among the Top 100 Attorneys in Northern California by Super Lawyers (2015, 2022-2023)
  • Martindale-Hubbell® AV Preeminent rating

Recently-Entitled Projects

  • Office/R&D. Land use counsel for a multinational tech company’s various Bay Area development projects, including securing approvals for a 2.5 million-square-foot office/R&D campus in San Bruno.
  • Multifamily and mixed-use residential. Successfully entitled multifamily and mixed-use projects for national and regional developers throughout California, including recent projects in Lafayette, Belmont, San Jose, Campbell, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Morgan Hill, Burlingame, and Palo Alto.
  • Life science. Advised biotech developers in the development of projects statewide, recently securing approvals for life science facilities in South San Francisco, Brisbane, and Burlingame.
  • Data centers. Represented service providers in the land use and environmental aspects of their projects, including obtaining entitlements for data centers in Santa Clara.
  • Industrial. Secured approvals of behalf of national industrial developer for industrial warehouse projects in Morgan Hill and Fairfield.

Published Opinions

  • Martis Camp Cmty. Ass'n v. Cty. of Placer, 53 Cal.App.5th 569 (2020)
  • San Bruno Comm. For Econ. Justice v. City of San Bruno ex rel. San Bruno Hotels, LLC, 15 Cal.App.5th 524 (2017)
  • Sierra Club v. Napa Cnty. Bd. of Supervisors, 205 Cal.App.4th 162 (2012)
  • Fogarty v. City of Chico, 148 Cal.App.4th 537 (2007)

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