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Real Estate Litigation
We take on hard legal issues, and we succeed.
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Construction Defect
Construction defects can result in economic loss — including decreased property value — and personal stress. When projects involve commercial investments, future business earnings may also be lost. Determining where the defect originated is the f…
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Purchase-Sale Disputes
Real estate transactions are large financial undertakings with many moving pieces. When disagreements, contract disputes or other issues arise during the purchase-sale process, the potential for financial loss is huge. Our purchase and sale dispute a…
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Nondisclosures, Breach Of Contract
The law obligates sellers of real estate to disclose any fact materially affecting the value and desirability of the property. This includes, but is not limited to, facts concerning the physical condition of the property, any dangerous conditions, an…
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Co-Ownership Disputes
The Bay Area, and San Francisco in particular, has a unique real estate market. Many properties are co-owned such as among condominium owners and those owning properties as tenants-in-common (TICs). Shared spaces such as yards, garages, and entryways…
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Partition
A partition action seeks to sever co-ownership of property, generally by court-ordered sale. A need for a partition action generally arises when there is breakdown in the co-owner relationship such as disagreements about how to manage or use the prop…
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Tenancy-In-Common (TIC) Disputes
In San Francisco, one of the most popular forms of ownership in residential apartment buildings is a “Tenancy-In-Common” (or “TIC”). This form of ownership is commonly used when buildings are either unable to be converted into condominiums or…
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Condominium Information And Homeowners Dispute Resolution
In general, condominium conversion will result in a significant increase in property value. Currently in San Francisco, two-unit buildings that meet certain owner-occupancy and other eligibility requirements may easily be converted to condominiums. I…
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Neighbor Disputes
Disputes regarding boundaries, construction, and nuisances often erupt into volatile disagreements. At Zacks & Freedman, PC, our neighbor dispute attorney team gives property owners a voice. For more than 25 years, clients in San Francisco and th…
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Easements And Views
Sometimes property owners have the right to use neighboring land for a specific purpose. This right to use another’s land without actual ownership of the property itself is called an easement. Common examples of easements are where there are shared…
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Encroachments
An “encroachment” generally refers to a situation in which there is unauthorized trespass by someone onto another’s property. For example, your neighbor could build a new deck, that stretches over several inches of your property, or you could d…
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Landlord / Tenant Issues
Zealous representation of Bay Area landlords and property managers.
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Negotiated Move Out / Buyout Agreements
Engaging in the business of being a Bay Area landlord is no easy feat, particularly in San Francisco which boasts some of the most restrictive rent and eviction control laws in the country. As a landlord, you may reach a point where you want, or need…
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Evictions For Cause
California, and especially the City and County of San Francisco, rent and eviction control laws can be both complicated and tricky for even the most seasoned landlords. Not only are there limited grounds for eviction established by local and municipa…
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No-Fault Evictions
Zacks & Freedman, PC is the go-to firm in San Francisco and the Bay Area for help with Ellis Act evictions, owner and relative move-ins, and other types of “no-fault” evictions. Over the years, our lawyers have had tremendous success assistin…
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Defense Of Wrongful Eviction And Habitability Claims
Our wrongful eviction lawyer team represents landlords in all areas of litigation, including defending landlords in lawsuits brought by their tenants in the Bay Area, and throughout California. If a tenant has sued you for wrongful eviction or claims…
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Rent Increase Issues
San Francisco and the Bay Area have some of the highest rents in the United States. As a landlord, you should have the right to raise your rent to fair market value when, and if, the law permits you. Unfortunately, applicable rent control laws weigh…
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Rent Board Petitions
In San Francisco, and pursuant to the San Francisco Rent Ordinance, both landlords and tenants are permitted to petition the Rent Board for determinations on certain issues affecting the landlord-tenant relationship. The same is true in other cities…
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Illegal Units / In-Law Units
“In-law units” is an additional dwelling unit (or units) inside a property, often constructed in properties where it was originally intended to be a single-family home. These units are often “illegal,” particularly if they are rented separate…
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Statewide Rent And Eviction Control
Landlords across California are now facing some of the strictest rent and eviction control ordinances in the country. Many property owners and rental companies are now unsure how to comply with these new laws and how these changes will affect their p…
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Land Use, Permits & Appeals
Giving land and property owners a strong voice.
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Attorneys: Andrew Grindstaff
Environmental (CEQA) Appeals And Litigation
The California Environmental Quality Act (Public Resources Code Section 21000 et seq., also known as “CEQA”), is intended to require decision-makers to consider a project’s environmental impacts before approving the project. Any project that ma…
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Airbnb / Short-Term Rentals
Vacation rental hosting platforms (like Airbnb, VRBO, HomeAway, and FlipKey) have become an increasingly common feature of the so-called “sharing economy.” They are also an increasingly politicized issue in San Francisco, as various interest grou…
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Notice Of Violation (NOV) And Order Of Abatement Hearings
When the City issues a citation, commonly referred to as a notice of violation, against your property, it can be confusing and costly. These notices generally cite habitability or construction defects, which exist on a piece of property and require i…
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Building Permits And Disputes
Zacks & Freedman, PC has given property owners in the Bay Area a voice for more than 25 years. Our building permit lawyer team represents property owners throughout San Francisco during building permit disputes. Our experience representing both d…
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Permit Appeals
At Zacks & Freedman, PC, we give Bay Area property owners a voice. Whether the City has denied your permit application, your permit has been appealed, you are a neighbor who has concerns about a nearby construction project, Zacks & Freedman,…
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Discretionary Review And Planning Commission Hearings
Zacks & Freedman, PC has experience representing both project sponsors and project opponents. Project sponsors often reach out to our firm after building permits are denied, after neighbors voice concerns, or after receiving notice of a Planning…
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Variance And Conditional Use Applications
Zoning Variance Application The Planning Code, like all zoning law, is based on the principle of reciprocity: all landowners give up some freedom, and all benefit from shared regulations. In some cases, however, a property’s unusual characteristics…
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Accessory Dwelling Units
California state law has changed recently to allow property owners to build accessory dwelling units (ADUs). These changes have created an opportunity for property owners to build or convert these ADUs and rent them out to tenants. These changes also…
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Housing Accountability Act
In the past, local government agencies have prevented California developers from starting new developments and building housing. The Housing Accountability Act (HAA) places restrictions on local governments and prevents them from stopping housing dev…
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Real Estate Transactions
Over 25 years of residential and commercial transaction experience.
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Attorneys: Andrew Grindstaff
Rental Agreements And Leases
Zacks & Freedman, PC is one of the leading law firms in San Francisco for commercial and residential landlord-tenant issues. Our lease agreement lawyer team has provided guidance to landlords for over 25 years. Our firm can assist you in preparin…
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Tenancy-In-Common Agreements And TIC Dispute Resolution
One of the most popular forms of ownership in residential apartment buildings in San Francisco is “Tenancy-In-Common” or (“TIC”). This form of ownership is widely used in San Francisco when buildings cannot be converted to condominiums or are…
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Condominium Formation and Homeowners’ Dispute Resolution
In general, condominium conversion will result in a significant increase in property value. Currently in San Francisco, two-unit buildings that meet certain owner-occupancy and other eligibility requirements may easily be converted to condominiums. I…
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