sfaa legislative update: Renter's Economic Relief Package
Updated January 25, 2010
Current status: Chris Daly’s Renters Economic Relief legislation is back after being vetoed by the Mayor. The "Tenant Financial Hardship Application" measure wlll be put on the June 2010 ballot. Read it here (pdf).
July 3, 2009
The following information was shared with all SFAA members July 3:
Newsom to veto Renter Relief Package
Thanks to San Francisco Apartment Association members and our industry partners, Mayor Newsom has agreed to veto all three legislative pieces of Chris Daly’s Renter Relief Package.
Please read this informative editorial from the July 2 San Francisco Chronicle.
Thank you to Mayor Newsom and Supervisors Elsbernd, Chu, Alioto-Pier and Dufty for their ongoing support of the rental housing industry.
If you have any questions regarding this legislation or the veto, please feel free to contact Lisa Fricke at SFAA by phone 415.255.2288, or email lisa@sfaa.org.
May 29, 2009
The following information was shared with all SFAA members May 29:
Property owners win another round at City Hall!
Rental owners outnumbered tenant activists two-to-one at yesterday’s hearing at the Government Audit and Oversight Committee of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. Sincere thanks to the Board of Directors and Members of the San Francisco Apartment Association for showing up and speaking about this legislation. Your stories were truly effective.
Although Supervisor Chris Daly continues to abuse his colleagues, and anyone who gets in his way, the legislation made it out of committee to the full Board of Supervisor thanks to Daly supporters Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi and Supervisor Eric Mar. Supervisor Sophie Maxwell is still exempt from voting because she, too, is a rental housing provider.
The final hearing on this measure will be held at the full Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday, June 23, 2009. There will be no additional need for public comment.
Mayor Newsom has agreed to veto all three of the confiscatory Daly measures. Thanks to Supervisors Sean Elsbernd, Carmen Chu, Michaela Alioto Pier and Bevan Dufty we have the commitments to uphold the veto. Please take the time to call or write and thank these Supervisors for their commitment and support.
Additional thanks to our industry partners: Coalition for Better Housing, Plan C, Professional Property Management Association and the Small Property Owner Institute for their participation in this hearing.
District 1
Eric Mar
phone: (415) 554-7410
fax: (415) 554-7415
Eric.L.Mar@sfgov.org
District 2
Michela Alioto-Pier
phone: (415) 554-7752
fax: (415) 554-7843
Michela.Alioto-Pier@sfgov.org
District 3
David Chiu - Board President
phone: (415) 554-7450
fax: (415) 554-7454
David.Chiu@sfgov.org
District 4
Carmen Chu
phone: (415) 554-7460
fax: (415) 554-7432
Carmen.Chu@sfgov.org
District 5
Ross Mirkarimi
phone: (415) 554-7630
fax: (415) 554-7634
Ross.Mirkarimi@sfgov.org
District 6
Chris Daly
phone: (415) 554-7970
fax: (415) 554-7974
Chris.Daly@sfgov.org
District 7
Sean Elsbernd
phone: (415) 554-6516
fax: (415) 554-6546
Sean.Elsbernd@sfgov.org
District 8
Bevan Dufty
phone: (415) 554-6968
fax: (415) 554-6909
Bevan.Dufty@sfgov.org
District 9
David Campos
phone: (415) 554-5144
fax: (415) 554-6255
David.Campos@sfgov.org
District 10
Sophie Maxwell
phone: (415) 554-7670
fax: (415) 554-7674
Sophie.Maxwell@sfgov.org
District 11
John Avalos
phone: (415) 554-6975
fax: (415) 554-6979
John.Avalos@sfgov.org
Mayor Gavin Newsom
(415) 554-6141
Fax: (415) 554-6160
gavin.newsom@sfgov.org
May 20, 2009
The following information was shared with all SFAA members May 20:
UPDATE: Daly's Renter's Economic Relief Package
Thank you to our members that took the time to call, write and show up at the hearing on Supervisor Chris Daly's Renter's Economic Relief package (cap on banked rent increases, 33% income-to-rent ratio and release of occupancy restrictions) on Monday, May 18, 2009.
Many of our local owners and board members spoke during a respectful public hearing. Our concerns and suggested amendments were taken under consideration by the Supervisors at the hearing (Daly, Mar and Chiu).
The outcome of the hearing on the three pieces of legislation was a mixed bag. There were more property owners than tenants in attendance, but it did not make much difference. Supervisor Maxwell was recused because she owns rental property and was not in attendance; Supervisor Chiu supported capping banking and extra roommates, but was not favoring the 33% of tenant income part. Supervisor Mar supported all three pieces of legislation.
In the end, the legislation was sent over to the Government Audit and Oversight Committee for their review, so we have another couple of weeks before the full Board will hear them.
We will keep you posted as these three pieces of legislation wind their way through City Hall.
May 12, 2009
The following information was shared with all SFAA members May 12:
Take action to defeat Daly's Renters Economic Relief Package
Dear SFAA Members,
Your presence is needed to help SFAA fight the ordinances proposed by Supervisor Chris Daly.
Monday, May 18, 2009, the Land Use Committee will be holding the first hearing on these 3 proposals. The meeting begins at 1:00 pm in room 263, the ordinances are items 3-6 on the agenda.
The hearing will focus on Supervisor Daly’s Renters Economic Relief Package. This package consists of 3 pieces of legislation:
The first measure would suspend any rent increases which will cause a tenant’s rent to exceed 33% of their income. This would extend the rights of the tenants to claim a hardship and make rent increases more difficult for owners in San Francisco.
Another measure would expand the rights of tenants to add roommates to help pay the rent. This provision would allow tenants to increase the number of occupants beyond what is stated in their lease agreement and would be based on occupancy limits in the San Francisco Housing Code.
The final provision would limit the amount of “banked” rent increases which can be imposed in any one year. Currently owners are able to enforce any amount of “banked” rent increases. The new provision would not allow an owner to raise the rent more than 8% using banked increases in any one year.
We are asking SFAA members to show up and express their opposition to these terrible pieces of legislation.
If you will be unable to attend this meeting, please take the time to draft letters and emails, or call the three supervisors who make up the Land Use Committee: Sophie Maxwell, Eric Mar, and David Chiu. Their contact information is below.
The meeting will begin at 1:00pm at City Hall in room 263. Agendas will be available at the meeting, but if you wish to read the agenda beforehand it can be downloaded here.
District 1
Eric Mar
(415) 554-7410
Eric.L.Mar@sfgov.org
District 3
David Chiu- Board President
(415) 554-7450
David.Chiu@sfgov.org
District 10
Sophie Maxwell
(415) 554-7670
Sophie.Maxwell@sfgov.org
The SFAA needs your help to fight these proposals. Please make sure to attend this meeting. It is important that we put a face to those who would be suffering the consequences of these appalling changes.
If you have any questions, please contact Lisa Fricke at lisa@sfaa.org or 415.255.2288.