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She Came In Through The School Year Window – OMI Timing Constraints – Act Now!
April 8th, 2024
Contributor: Mark B. Chernev
The San Francisco Rent Ordinance allows certain owners the ability to recover tenant-occupied rental units for personal use, thereby terminating the tenancy of all occupants. However, there are significant limitations on how and when an owner can per…
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Categories: Landlord/Tenant Issues
Delinquent Owner: Can the Homeowners Association Foreclose?
March 21st, 2024
Contributor: Gael Bizel-Bizellot
The short answer is yes, but it depends on the amount owed and it requires compliance with a series of rules. Because Homeowners’ Associations (“HOAs”) depend upon the timely payment of owners’ assessments to function, courts recognize the ri…
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Categories: Real Estate Litigation
Concord Rent and Eviction Control: Measures with Potential Ripple Effects
March 14th, 2024
Last month, the Concord City Council passed its “Residential Tenant Protection Program” a highly debated rent control and “just cause” eviction ordinance that allows for greater renter protections. The effects of the ordinance will be felt by…
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Categories: Landlord/Tenant Issues
"Justice for Renters Act" Seeks to Repeal Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act
February 19th, 2024
Contributor: Sierra McGinn Smith
Michael Weinstein, through his AIDS Healthcare Foundation, is leading the “Justice for Renters Act,” the most recent attempt to repeal the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act. Costa-Hawkins is a state law that places strict limits on a city’s abil…
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Categories: Landlord/Tenant Issues
Unauthorized Dwelling Unit Blues
February 1st, 2024
Contributor: Andrew R. Catterall
Under current law, San Francisco homeowners whose property includes an Unauthorized Dwelling Unit, or UDU, have few good options. A UDU is defined in San Francisco Planning Code Section 317(b)(13) as one or more rooms within a building that have been…
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Categories: Land Use, Permits and Appeals
AB 1620 (2023) Opens the Door for Local Governments To Compel the Rental of “Accessible Floor” Units
January 12th, 2024
Contributor: Justin A. Goodman
An amendment to the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act will make significant changes to the reasonable accommodation, interactive process with respect to a tenant with a permanent physical disability who seeks to move into an equal or smaller unit. Cos…
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Categories: Landlord/Tenant Issues
Uncommon Bonds: Exploring the World of Tenancies in Common
November 10th, 2023
Contributor: Mark B. Chernev
A Tenancy in common (TIC) is a form of property ownership with a rich history in California, dating back to the early days of statehood. In a TIC two or more individuals or entities collectively hold an undivided interest in real property with a cont…
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Branching Out: Navigating Neighborly Tree Disputes
October 13th, 2023
Tree disputes are more common among neighbors than one might expect. Common tree disputes include branches overhanging fences, an aggressive root invasion, or overgrown trees blocking off views. When neighbors refuse to cooperate and address these gr…
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Categories: Real Estate Litigation
Adverse Possession: When Your Property Becomes Your Neighbor’s Without Your Consent
September 28th, 2023
Contributor: Emily L. Brough
Property line disputes can occur between neighbors. But what happens when your neighbor is aware of a boundary line, but nonetheless encroaches upon or improves your property on purpose? In certain circumstances, it can result in your neighbor taking…
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Categories: Real Estate Litigation
San Francisco’s Family Housing Opportunity Special Use District – Formulated for Failure?
September 20th, 2023
Contributor: Andrew R. Catterall
A bill sponsored by Supervisors Myrna Melgar and Joel Engardio, creates a citywide “Family Housing Opportunity Special Use District” (SUD). The bill passed unanimously by the Board of Supervisors on July 25, 2023 and is expected to be signed by M…
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Categories: Land Use, Permits and Appeals