Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2004. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
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San Francisco Examiner - November 9, 2004
Adriel Hampton, Staff Writer
Tenant activists rallied on the City Hall steps, both sides argued in the hallways and landlords engaged in sporadic shouting matches with Supervisor Chris Daly.
At issue were two proposals, one to restrict condo conversions of two-unit buildings and another to loosen restrictions on moving family members into rental units.
The undercurrent of the dispute is the recent rise in evictions, which has boosted tension with tenants and landlords.
Ellis Act petitions -- the process by which a landlord can evict tenants on the basis of getting out of the rental business -- were up 49 percent last year, and the AIDS Housing Alliance argues that 50 percent of the Ellis evictions in the past four years were of disabled or senior tenants.
At a noon rally, AIDS patient and former local housing advocate Nicholas Renault said he's trying to move back to The City following an eviction here last year that drove him and his service dog to Texas.
"I know a lot about accessing housing and I still couldn't find a place," Renault said.
Supervisor Michela Alioto-Pier proposed a compromise, but pro-homeownership groups said any new rules would hurt tenancy-in-common owners, who share title to multi-unit buildings and hope to own their units as condos.
"This is a thinly veiled plan to throttle condo conversion," said Michael Sullivan, the head of activist group Plan C.
Faced with attacks on his own condo ownership, Daly repeatedly engaged the audience and interrupted the hearing.
"You guys are the George Bush" of The City, Daly said, lashing out at Ted Loewenberg, president of Small Property Owners of San Francisco.
Property owners also fought Supervisor Matt Gonzalez's proposal to allow family members to move in despite lease restrictions, arguing for a plan covering only spouses and domestic partners.
"It's a big gift from us, but they want more, as usual," said Janan New of the S.F. Apartment Association.
Both measures have strong Board of Supervisors support but will face a tough road should Mayor Gavin Newsom veto them. Proposed changes to San Francisco housing laws
FAMILY PROTECTION
Supervisor Matt Gonzalez proposes to allow tenants' spouses or domestic partners and immediate family to move in without eviction or rent increases. Move-ins would be limited to two people in a studio, eight in a four-bedroom unit. The board will vote on the proposal today.
CONDO LIMITS
Supervisor Chris Daly proposes two-unit buildings be subject to the yearly 200-unit condo conversion lottery, and would require that the first 175 conversions have no evictions of a senior, disabled or ill tenant in the last five years. The board may weigh in today.
RELOCATION ASSISTANCE
Supervisor Aaron Peskin proposes landlords pay $4,500 to tenants evicted by the Ellis Act, plus $3,000 for senior or disabled tenants. Peskin would also ban landlords from
removing residential hotels from the rental market.
WAITING PERIOD
Supervisor Michela Alioto-Pier proposed removing incentives for speculative evictions by requiring a three-year waiting period before two-unit buildings could be converted.
Correction
Rent control and condo conversion bills by supervisors Matt Gonzalez and Chris Daly are scheduled for a vote at the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, Nov. 16.
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