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Board approves five ordinances including elevator rule and rent-control expansion
Summary
The San Francisco Board of Supervisors on Oct. 15 passed five ordinances covering elevator maintenance, two entertainment zones, building-code gas infrastructure rules, rent-control expansion tied to Costa-Hawkins changes, and confidentiality additions for the Office of Victim and Witness Rights.
The San Francisco Board of Supervisors passed five ordinances at a special meeting on Oct. 15, 2024, approving housing-safety, land-use, building-code, tenant-protection and victim-services measures.
The first ordinance amended the housing code to require R-1 and R-2 occupancy buildings to maintain at least one existing elevator for resident use, a measure supporters said will protect elderly and mobility-limited residents. A public commenter, Amina Rubio, said outages leave seniors “trapped inside their buildings” and urged adoption. The clerk announced 10 ayes on the roll call and the board declared the ordinance passed.
The board also approved an ordinance establishing two entertainment zones — the Mid-Market zone on Market Street between 5th and 6th streets and an Arena zone bounded by Warriors Way, Terry A. Francois Boulevard, 16th Street and 3rd Street. Supporters including Andrew Bennett, president of IATC Local 16, said the zones would help venue workers and revive downtown activity; critics warned the city is prioritizing entertainment over housing and services.
A third ordinance amended the building code so that new construction meeting electricity-ready design guidelines may install gas infrastructure to serve appliances covered by the Energy Policy and Conservation Act; public testimony asked that tenants not be required to bear retrofit costs and raised wiring and fire-safety concerns.
On housing policy, the board passed an ordinance to make dwelling units that first received certificates of occupancy between June 14, 1979, and June 13, 1994, generally subject to rent control to the extent authorized by any future modification or repeal of the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act. Dozens of tenants and advocates testified in favor, describing displacement and steep rent increases; one commenter warned of potential adverse effects in nonpayment cases.
Finally, the board approved changes to protect client confidentiality for the Office of Victim and Witness Rights (OVWR), move Harassment and Assault Response and Prevention programs into OVWR, and require trauma-informed assistance; the Youth Commission urged passage to preserve confidentiality and access for youth.
Votes at a glance: Item 1 (elevator ordinance) — recorded roll-call result: 10 ayes, ordinance passed. Other items were taken under the board’s "same house, same call" phrasing and were announced as passed; specific tallies were not recorded in the transcript.
