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We Didn't Start The Fire - San Francisco Apartment Fires and Tenants
January 9th, 2026
Contributor: Mark B. Chernev
San Francisco is no stranger to fire. Our city’s identity is linked to fire, which has provided its cycle of destruction and rebirth extending far past the Gold Rush and now into a model of urban resilience. San Francisco’s resilience is memorial…
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Categories: History
New Requirements for California Housing Providers in 2026
January 2nd, 2026
Contributor: Scott A. Freedman
As always, we begin this New Year with two things: 1) well wishes for the New Year, to all our clients, colleagues and friends; and 2) a laundry list of new laws for housing providers to be aware of. Below is a brief snapshot of some key changes to b…
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Categories: Landlord/Tenant Issues
Artificial Irreverence: The Limits of Language Model Lawyers*
December 10th, 2025
Contributor: Justin A. Goodman
*This article first appeared in the San Francisco Apartment Association’s (SFAA) November 2025 issue of the SFAA Magazine. Everything these days is an AI story. As you faithful SFAA members know, San Francisco has seen double digit percentage incre…
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Categories: Opinion
AB 130 and the New $100 Limit on HOA Fines, Problem Solved or Created? Time Will Tell
August 1st, 2025
Contributor: Scott A. Freedman
An important tool in the proper operation of homeowners’ associations in California is the ability of associations to impose fines on owners when their actions, or those of their tenants or guests, violate the association’s rules. When used prope…
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Categories: Real Estate Litigation
San Francisco’s “Amnesty” Legislation to Provide DBI’s Defrauded Victims Half a Loaf
July 1st, 2025
Contributor: Emily L. Brough
Remember when members of the San Francisco Department of Building Inspection (DBI) colluded with corrupt developers and signed off on thousands of shoddy, unsafe, and sometimes even life-threatening construction projects? Well, San Francisco would li…
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Categories: Land Use, Permits and Appeals
What to Do If a Holdover Tenant Pays Rent
May 21st, 2025
Contributor: Thomas J. O'Brien
The termination of a lease, whether residential or commercial, is rife with pitfalls for a landlord. One mistake that is easy for landlords to avoid is, following the termination of a lease, to not accept rent. First enacted in 1872, Civil Code Secti…
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Categories: Landlord/Tenant Issues
What to Know Before Executing a Commercial Sublease Agreement
April 17th, 2025
Contributor: Morgan Sellers
Signing a commercial lease is an exciting time for any company, whether moving into a newly renovated office space or expanding from a small warehouse to a single-tenant industrial building. It signifies a commitment, indicating steady business and a…
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Understanding Easements: What Every Property Owner Needs to Know
March 10th, 2025
Easements are a crucial but often misunderstood aspect of real estate law. They grant one party the right to use another’s property for specific purposes, such as access to a road, shared sewer lines, or utility maintenance. While easements can ben…
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Categories: Real Estate Litigation
New (and Old) Requirements for Handling Residential Security Deposits
January 14th, 2025
Contributor: Gael Bizel-Bizellot
AB 2801, which became effective on January 1, 2025, imposes new requirements on landlords of residential properties. AB 2801 amended Section 1950.5 of the Civil Code, which regulates the amount and disposition of security deposits. What’s New? Begi…
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Categories: Landlord/Tenant Issues
The Slowdown of the Eviction Process Caused by AB 2347 and How to Best Manage It
January 3rd, 2025
Contributor: Scott A. Freedman
For decades, property owners in California have provided housing with the assurance that if their renters failed or refused to pay rent on time, they would have an expedited means of recovering possession of their property. While that generally remai…
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Categories: Landlord/Tenant Issues