Tenant Rights in San Francisco
Introduction:
San Francisco has long been known for its high cost of living, including expensive housing. As a result, renters in the city have unique challenges and often face housing insecurity. However, tenants in San Francisco have a variety of legal protections that can help them secure safe and affordable housing. In this article, we will discuss some of the key tenant rights in San Francisco.
1. The San Francisco Rent Ordinance:
The San Francisco Rent Ordinance is a set of laws that regulate rent increases, evictions, and other tenant-landlord issues in San Francisco. The Rent Ordinance applies to most rental units in the city, including apartments, condominiums, and multi-family homes.
One of the most important protections under the Rent Ordinance is the limit on rent increases. In San Francisco, landlords can only increase the rent once every 12 months and the increase is limited to a specific percentage. The percentage is based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward metropolitan area and is adjusted every year. For example, in 2022, the allowable rent increase is 0.7%.
The Rent Ordinance also requires landlords to provide a written notice to tenants before raising the rent. The notice must include the amount of the increase, the effective date, and a statement explaining the tenant’s right to challenge the increase. Tenants have the right to challenge the increase by filing a petition with the San Francisco Rent Board within 30 days of receiving the notice.
In addition to rent increases, the Rent Ordinance also regulates evictions. Landlords can only evict tenants for certain reasons, such as failure to pay rent or violation of the lease agreement. Landlords cannot evict tenants for discriminatory reasons or as retaliation for exercising their legal rights. Tenants who receive an eviction notice have the right to challenge the eviction by filing a petition with the Rent Board.
San Francisco rent board has free advisers to talk to over the phone. They are available at (415) 252-4600 (valid number on March 2023).
2. The San Francisco Tenant Protection Act:
In 2019, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors passed the Tenant Protection Act, which further strengthened tenant rights in the city. The Act includes several important provisions, including:
- Just Cause Eviction Protection: Landlords can only evict tenants for certain reasons, such as non-payment of rent, violation of the lease agreement, or owner move-in. Landlords cannot evict tenants without a just cause.
- Rent Increase Caps: The Act imposes additional restrictions on rent increases. Landlords cannot raise the rent more than once every 12 months and the increase is limited to 10% in a 12-month period.
- Relocation Assistance: If a landlord evicts a tenant for owner move-in, demolition, or other reasons, the landlord must provide the tenant with relocation assistance. The amount of assistance varies depending on the tenant’s income and the size of the unit.
- Buyout Agreements: Landlords cannot offer tenants a buyout agreement to vacate their unit if the tenant has lived in the unit for more than one year.
3. Tenant Rights Organizations in San Francisco:
Tenants who are facing housing insecurity or who have questions about their rights can seek assistance from several tenant rights organizations in San Francisco. The following organizations provide legal assistance, counseling, and education to tenants:
- San Francisco Tenants Union: The San Francisco Tenants Union is a nonprofit organization that provides counseling, education, and advocacy to tenants. The organization offers a hotline for tenants to call for advice and referrals.
- Housing Rights Committee of San Francisco: The Housing Rights Committee of San Francisco is a community-based organization
We at TheSFPropertyManagement published a blog which is accessible at this link:
It is recommended to contact these organizations in times of hardship.
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TheSFPropertyManagement is a full-service property management company that specializes in residential single-family and multi-family properties in the San Francisco Bay Area. If you are a tenant searching for an apartment, please contact TheSFPropertyManagement today at 415-712-0507 to discover the available options that best suit your needs. Similarly, if you are a homeowner seeking a property management company to take care of your property, kindly contact us for assistance.
