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Land Use Committee advances ordinance to require tenant notice for demolitions and unit removals
Summary
The committee forwarded an ordinance sponsored by Supervisor Wiener that would require notice to tenants — including occupants of unregistered units — when demolition, mergers or removal of kitchens/stoves/bathrooms is proposed, add appeals instructions and tenant service referrals, and require posting of owner affidavits. The committee sent the ordinance to the full Board with a positive recommendation.
Supervisor Scott Wiener introduced an ordinance to amend San Francisco’s building and planning codes to require notice to tenants when a demolition or merger is proposed or when work would remove a kitchen, stove or bathroom that may effectively eliminate a dwelling unit. Wiener said the measure closes a “significant loophole” that lets owners of unregistered or illegal units obtain demolition permits without notifying the occupants.
The ordinance would align noticing with Department of Building Inspection procedures, require new posters with specified size and content, and add instructions on how tenants can appeal demolition permits and a list of counseling and legal services. Wiener said notices must be provided in Spanish, Chinese and Russian, and property owners would be required to submit and post an affidavit stating whether they are removing a legal or illegal dwelling unit.
Diego Sanchez of the Planning Department told the committee the Planning Commission reviewed the ordinance and recommended modifications to add planning-code language and to bring the mechanics of the new noticing requirements in line with existing procedures, including changes to poster content and timing. Deborah Walker of the Building Inspection Commission urged the board to “treat a tenant as a tenant,” said the amendment was important, and thanked the board for taking swift action.
During public comment Francisco de Costa criticized the legislative report and questioned enforcement capacity at the Department of Building Inspection. He asked, “Can we get a report of what really has happened to the over 20,000 units that were rental units that were removed by the Academy of Art University?” and requested the City Attorney and the Mayor’s Office of Housing provide information.
Supervisor Wiener moved to forward the ordinance to the full Board of Supervisors with a positive recommendation; the motion passed without objection in committee. The committee’s action sends the ordinance to the full board for final consideration.
Next steps: the ordinance will appear on the Board of Supervisors agenda per the clerk's announcement, and the full board will take up the measure on the posted date.
