SF Apartment : March 2017

THE NEWS

Public Housing Progress

Mayor Ed Lee signed legislation to begin redeveloping the Potrero Terrace and Annex and Sunnydale public housing sites. When complete, the renovated sites will be mixed-income communities, affordable to low-income and middle-class families.

According to the mayor’s office, HOPE SF’s redevelopment initiative is the nation’s first large-scale public housing revitalization project aimed at disrupting intergenerational poverty, reducing social isolation, and creating vibrant mixed-income communities without mass displacement. Backed by significant local funding, including the 2015 $310 million affordable housing bond, HOPE SF is a community-driven partnership with residents, and is being implemented by the Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development.

The Portrero Hill construction began earlier this year. The public housing site is being developed into a denser, mixed-income neighborhood over the next eight to ten years. The project will include 619 units of replacement public housing, along with 187 below-market-rate housing units and another 817 market rate units that will be a mix of rentals and condos. Construction is expected to begin in Sunnydale later this year, including the development of new roadways, sidewalks, transit connections, and utilities that will for the first time reconnect the communities with their surrounding neighborhoods. 

Each site will have approximately three-and-a-half acres of new public open space, with play areas for children, plazas, and urban gardens. Each site will also have significant space for retail and supportive social services, as well as new community and recreation centers. The San Francisco Housing Authority is an anchor partner supporting the development and resident engagement processes.

Supervisor Malia Cohen, who represents the districts of both housing sites, says, “This is a big moment for our city, let alone a big moment for District 10. It has the ability to transform lives, to save lives, to increase life expectancy.”

Immigrant Tenant Protection Act

California Assemblymember David Chiu (D-San Francisco) announced AB 291 last month. The bill will strengthen current state law and bar landlords from disclosing tenants’ immigration status, including during questioning at trials and hearings. The bill will also prohibit landlords from threatening to report illegal tenants to federal immigration agents. 

“This bill will deter the small minority of unscrupulous landlords who take advantage of the real or perceived immigration status of their tenants to engage in abusive and illegal acts,” Chiu said. Chiu wrote the bill in response to President Trump’s executive order to crack down on immigration, and also in response to complaints he received around the state of property owners using tenants’ immigration status as leverage. 

New SRO Rental Cap

The San Francisco Land Use Committee passed a law that would restrict stays in Single Room Occupancy (SRO) buildings to a minimum of 32 nights. Supervisor Aaron Peskin introduced the legislation and the Board of Supervisors passed the law unanimously. The intention is to reduce short-term tourist rentals in SROs, making the rooms available to locals who may otherwise be left homeless.

The legislation will increase fees and penalties for violations, and also strengthen the reporting requirements for the Department of Building Inspection to enforce the ordinance.

San Francisco SROs typically rent for around $500-$600 a month and include a private room and a shared bathroom and kitchen. San Francisco SRO buildings are mostly clustered in the Chinatown, Tenderloin and Mission neighborhoods. 

SFAA “Spring Fling” Tradeshow - April 17, 2017

Mark your calendars for Monday, April 17 for the annual SFAA tradeshow. The event will take place at the Fort Mason Conference Building, Building A, from 4:00 to 7:30 pm. 

The tradeshow will cover all facets of the multifamily housing industry. Consult with professionals providing local property owners with the latest products and top services; learn how to improve your overall effectiveness through the free educational classes; and meet peers in the San Francisco rental property industry. The event is free and open to the general public, so bring your friends and enjoy! 

Please note that the tradeshow will replace the April member meeting.

For more information on the tradeshow or to become a sponsor, contact [email protected]. 

January 23rd SFAA Members Meeting

The January 23rd SFAA member meeting, held at the Jewish Community Center in Kanbar Hall, was sponsored by Great Escape Fire Escapes Service and moderated by Dave Wasserman of Wasserman & Stern. The meeting began with the monthly Legal Q & A, followed by a presentation from Susan Giaquinto of Great Escape Fire Escapes, and guest speaker Captain Ken Cofflin, the Port of San Francisco Fire Marshal. 

In August 2016, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors passed new legislation with the intention of preventing building fires and increasing fire safety education. Captain Cofflin spoke in detail about the steps San Francisco landlords need to take to be in compliance with the news laws. For more information on the requirements, effective dates, and mandatory forms, visit www.sf-fire.org or www.sfaa.org. 

For handouts from the member meeting, go to www.sfaa.org/calendar.shtml.