May News
Land Use Committee Approves Amendments Which Turn Dangerous Wiener-Farrell Legislation Into Prohibition on Condo Conversions For the Next 10+ Years & A Permanent Ban on Condo Conversions for all 5+ Unit Buildings
Wiener & Farrell Now Oppose Their Own Legislation
Due to Some Technical Amendments, Measure Must Be Re-Heard, So Full Board Won't Vote Until June 4
Update: The amended Wiener-Farrell legislation seems headed for passage but has been delayed. Some technical amendments have been slow in being drafted and will require a 2nd hearing. They wil be formally introduced at Land Use Committee on 5/20 but the hearing (i.e. testimony) won't happen until June 3 (because 5/27 is Memorial Day). The full Board of Supervisors should then vote on the measure (finally!) on June 4.
The Wiener-Farrell legislation to convert apartments into condos was turned from one of biggest threats to tenants into legislation which will save thousands of apartments from conversions and thousands of tenants from evictions. Under amendments crafterd by Sups. Chiu, Kim & Yee, all condo conversions will be stopped for at least the next decade and, if and when they resume, conversions will no longer be allowed for 5+ unit buildings. In addition, future conversions will need a higher level of owner-occupancy, which will prevent condo conversions from being used solely for rent control repeal. These gains were significant enough to allow Existing TICs an expedited condo conversion process over the next several years, but amendments were made here as well. The lifetime leases were made enforceable and other loopholes wre plugged up.
On April 22, the Land Use Commitee approved the new legislation by a 2-1 vote with SUps. Chiu and Kim voting to support and Suo. Wiener voting to oppose the new version of his legislation. Sup. Farrell is not on the committee so he did not vote but he also said he now opposes the legislation.
District One (The Richmond)
Sup. Eric Mar
(415) 554-7410 - voice
(415) 554-7415 - fax
Eric.L.Mar@sfgov.org
District Two (The Marina)
Sup. Mark Farrell
(415) 554-7752 - voice
(415) 554-7843 - fax
Mark.Farrell@sfgov.org
District 3 (North Beach/Chinatown/Russian Hill)
Sup. David Chiu
(415) 554-7450 - voice
(415) 554-7454 - fax
David.Chiu@sfgov.org
District 4 (Outer Sunset)
Sup. Carmen Chu
San Francisco, CA 94102-4689
(415) 554-7460 - voice
(415) 554-7432 - fax
Carmen.Chu@sfgov.org
District 5 (Haight and Western Addition)
Sup. London Breed
415) 554-7630 - voice
(415) 554-7634 - fax
London.Breed@sfgov.org
District 6 (Tenderloin/SOMA/North Mission/Hayes Valley)
Sup. Jane Kim
(415) 554-7970 - voice
(415) 554-7974 - fax
Jane.Kim@sfgov.org
District 7 (West of Twin Peaks/Parkmerced)
Sup. Norman Yee
(415) 554-6516 - voice
(415) 554-6546 - fax
Norman.Yee.Bos@sfgov.org
District 8 (Castro and Noe Valley)
Sup. Scott Wiener
(415) 554-6968 - voice
(415) 554-6909 - fax
Scott.Wiener@sfgov.org
District 9 (Mission)
Sup. David Campos
(415) 554-5144 - voice
(415) 554-6255 - fax
David.Campos@sfgov.org
District 10 (Bayview and Potrero Hill)
Sup. Malia Cohen
(415) 554-7670 - voice
(415) 554-7674 - fax
Malia.Cohen@sfgov.org
District 11 (Excelsior)
Sup. John Avalos
(415) 554-6975 - voice
(415) 554-6979 - fax
John.Avalos@sfgov.org
Hassle Free Housing Hits A Roadblock As Sups. Wiener & Cohen Vote To Support Harassment of Tenants and Get Legislation Indefinitely Tabled
The campaign by Causa Justa::Just Cause and the SF Tenants Union to put a damper on harassment of tenants by landlords was surprisingly delayed at the Land Use Committee on December 3 when Sups. Wiener & Cohen outvoted Sup. Eric Mar and got the legislation delayed indefinitely. Wiener and Cohen were unmoved by dozens of renters telling their horror stories of bullying and intimidation by landlords looking to drive out seniors and others with affordable rents so they can raise the rents to today's outrageous levels. Cohen made the motion to continue it indefinitely and she rejected an attempy by Mar to get it voted on again at the next meeting. At best, the legislation will be voted on by the new, landlord-friendly Board which takes office in January, 2013.
The ordinance would apply to landlords, banks, real estate speculators and real estate agents and enables the Rent Board to investigate and hold hearings on Harassment as a wrongful eviction attempt. It builds upon Prop. M, approved by the voters in 2008. Prop M defined and prohibited tenant harassment and gave tenants two remedies of recourse. The main remedy it gave tenants — requesting a rent decrease at the Rent Board — was struck down by the state Court of Appeals in 2009 after heavy lobbying by landlord and real estate groups.
Contact Sups. Wiener and Cohen. Tell them to stop supporting tenant harassment!
District
8 (Castro and Noe Valley)
Sup. Scott Wiener
(415) 554-6968 - voice
(415) 554-6909 - fax
Scott.Wiener@sfgov.org
District
10 (Bayview and Potrero Hill)
Sup. Malia Cohen
(415) 554-7670 - voice
(415) 554-7674 - fax
Malia.Cohen@sfgov.org
Just Say No to Tasers
Starting next Tuesday, January 22, 2013 at 6:00 p.m. at the Hamilton Recreation Center, 1900 Geary (at Steiner) Greg Suhr, San Francisco chief of police will be holding a series of three (3) community meetings to hear public comment on whether San Francisco Police should carry TASERS.
Other dates are February 4th and February 11th cf below for details.
Here's the link to their website and announcements
http://sf-police.org/index.aspx?page=2572
Please spread the word and come and give public testimony on this important public issue.
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