Building Inspection Commission approves some amortization extensions, continues many cases and denies two amid documentation gaps

SAN FRANCISCO — The San Francisco Building Inspection Commission voted March 19 on requests from hotel owners seeking extended amortization periods after Ordinance 36-23 narrowed the definition of tourist use for residential hotels.

The commission granted multi‑year extensions for a subset of properties, denied two applications where applicants provided no supporting documentation and continued several other cases to the April 16 meeting for applicants to submit detailed invoices, permits and calculations staff requested.

The commission’s decisions came during a lengthy hearing under the Hotel Conversion Ordinance (HCO), which staff described as codified in chapter 41 of the Administrative Code and that narrows when short‑term stays count as tourist use. Senior housing inspector Matt Luton told commissioners the HCO’s amortization review “is … about the costs that were incurred” and that staff evaluates total investment, how long investments have been in place and the suitability of those investments for continued residential use.

Votes at a glance

- 54 Fourth St.: Continued to April 16 to allow the applicant to provide documentation supporting claimed investments (motion carried unanimously). - 80 Ninth St.: Granted a 3‑year amortization extension consistent with staff recommendation (motion carried unanimously). - 507 Bush St.: Continued to April 16 for supplemental documentation (motion carried unanimously). - 1507 California St.: Granted a 10‑year amortization extension (motion carried unanimously). The commission directed the secretary to prepare written findings…