June News
Board of Supervisors Approves 10+ Year Moratorium on Condo Conversions Ban on Conversion of 5+ Unit Buildings by 8-3 Vote
Legislation to ban condo conversions for at least the next decade and to then prohibit conversions of 5+ unit buildings was passed by the Board of Supervisors Tuesday, June 11,by an 8-3 majority. Only Sups. Scott Wiener, Mark Farrell & Katy Tang voted against the measure. The 8-3 majority is enough to withstand a Mayoral veto although it is not anticipated that Mayor Lee will veto it. By Board rules, the Supervisors must vote on the measure again next Tuesday but rarely do votes change between the 1st & 2nd reading. Nonetheless, keep tuned as this legislation has had a very long and winding road.
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 crafted 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 were plugged up.
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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Now Available: 2013 Tenants Rights Handbook 14th Edition
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Upcoming Events & Recent News
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