New Units Added During Seismic Renovation Will Be Subject To Rent Ordinance

A recent new ordinance (coded 30-15, File No. 140954), introduced by Supervisor Wiener, allows for new rental units be added to existing structures during their seismic renovation, providing for necessary exemptions in the Planning Code. This ordinance was passed (URL upd. 06/26) by the Board of Supervisors unanimously. What does it mean from the rental perspective?

Fresh Amendment to Ellis Act Relocation Payments Ordinance

The San Francisco Rent Board has recently amended Section 37.9A of the San Francisco Administrative Code, capping the amount of proposed relocation payments at $50,000 (URL upd. 05/26). This is still an about three times larger amount than what is currently allowed, but at least there is now a limit.

1:1 - Two Recent Attacks on Ellis Act Notice Went Different Ways

Within one week the Appellate Division of the San Francisco Superior Court issued two decisions addressing requirements for an Ellis Act eviction under S.F. Admin. Code, Section 37.9A(f), taking an evidently different approach in reading the section in two cases and achieving opposite results.

Senior Water Rights Are Suspended In California

Suspending senior water rights in California is a new development in the state's real property law, with its practical implications being of much more interest than its legal background. The drought affects all Californians and this reform relates to many. Will it sustain the challenge?

Drafting Eviction Notice In San Francisco -- Book's Volume I Is Published

I  am excited to report that the first part of my book, covering general requirements and nine "for-fault" evictions, is finally out and went live on Amazon today. Here are direct links: paperback and the ebook (URL upd. 06/26) versions. Second volume is still in the works, it will cover the "no fault" evictions.

Historical Development Of Eviction Laws

An eviction lawsuit is not a modern invention. Its elements developed over the course of centuries, some surprisingly long time ago. This short article is an attempt to cover most noticeable cornerstones.

Is There A True Ellis Act Eviction Epidemy—A Study In Reading Statistics

On March 23, 2015, the Rent Board published its annual statistical report (URL upd. 05/26) on eviction notices, filed with the Board from March 1, 2014, through February 28, 2015. Page 2 shows a break-down by the types of notices and their change in usage in comparison to the previous year. I noticed a 48% decline in filed notices under the Ellis Act cause for eviction, and wondered, whether this decline is connected with the last year's attempt to increase the relocation payments due to the tenants to some cosmic amount, something the courts currently holding as unreasonable and unconstitutional. I saw it closely related, and along with that I also made several peculiar findings on how statistics work in scaling up (scarring up?) the reported amount of the Ellis Act evictions.