Rental ordinances may have adverse effect in S.F.
By: Joshua Sabatini
Examiner Staff Writer
May 29, 2009
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| Supervisor Chris Daly (Courtesy Photo) |
SAN FRANCISCO — Landlords say proposed rental restrictions may cause vacancies to increase.
Supervisor Chris Daly has introduced a package of legislation that he said is intended to provide relief to renters who are struggling to pay during the recession. The proposals would suspend any increases that would cause a tenant’s rent to exceed 33 percent of their income and valued assets. It would also allow tenants to add roommates without rent hikes.
The Board of Supervisors Government Audit and Oversight Committee voted Thursday to send the legislation to the full board for a vote June 23.
Landlords said that the restrictions would prompt some property owners to yank units off the market which would exacerbate the existing housing challenges for low-income tenants. Daly has dismissed those concerns as commonplace threats used whenever The City considers rent relief.
Ted Gullicksen, head of the San Francisco Tenants Union, supported the proposals.
“Rents have soared through the roof to the highest points in history,” he said. He added that what San Francisco really needs is “a rent rollback.”
Supervisor Eric Mar supported the proposals, although he shared concerns about “unintended consequences of some of the measures, especially how vacant units might shoot up tremendously and might lead to further gentrification.”
For the proposals to ultimately become law they would likely need eight votes by the Board of Supervisors. It takes eight votes to override a mayoral veto, and on Thursday Mayor Gavin Newsom said he would veto the bills.
“You have the unintended consequence of landlords only renting to very wealthy people. That is not good public policy,” Newsom said.
