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State Sen. Mark Leno needs to address apartment industry concerns about his anti-Ellis Act bill, which could lock San Francisco landlords into the rental housing business for years on end, even if they’re losing money.
Those instructions came from the Transportation and Housing Committee, which narrowly approved Leno’s SB 1439 on Tuesday by a 6 to 4 vote with one abstention.
The close decision came after the California Apartment Association, a San Francisco landlord and others offered compelling testimony against the legislation. About 150 opponents of the bill crowded the committee hearing room.
“The comments by legislators today and the… Read More
Tagged: Ellis ActLegislation
A bill that could strip San Francisco landlords of their freedom to leave the rental housing business heads to a key senate committee next month.
On Tuesday, April 8, state Sen. Mark Leno’s SB 1439 goes before the Senate Committee on Transportation and Housing.
SB 1439 is a direct assault on the Ellis Act, a law passed in 1985 that bars local governments from making landlords stay in the rental housing business.
Ellis especially protects owners of rental properties in rent controlled cities, where landlords can find themselves operating at a loss.
Under Leno’s bill, San Francisco would be authorized… Read More
Tagged: AdvocacyEllis ActLegislation
The California Apartment Association is analyzing thousands of bills introduced by the Feb. 21 deadline and is preparing to take positions on those relevant to the rental housing industry.
Below are summaries of some key measures on which CAA will likely take positions in the coming weeks:
Ellis Act — Legislation has been introduced to substantially weaken the state Ellis Act and allow local jurisdictions to prohibit rental property owners from selling or converting their buildings. This would force rental property owners to stay in business even if they are losing money.
Seismic retrofit – Legislation would require the seismic… Read More
Tagged: AdvocacyLegislation
Mellie Malcolmson was born in New Mexico and came to San Francisco at the end of the Second World War. She met her husband soon after arriving in The City, and they were married in 1962.
In 1965, Mellie and her husband bought a small, four-unit property on the 1100 block of Filbert Street in the Russian Hill neighborhood and planted roots. The Malcolmsons raised their son, James, on the third floor of their building on Filbert Street, where Mellie continues to live, and relied on the rent from the other apartments for their mortgage. James has lived his entire… Read More
San Francisco lawmakers have introduced a pair of bills that would hamper a property owner’s ability to quit the rental housing business.
In the crosshairs of both pieces of legislation is the state’s Ellis Act.
Senate Bill 1439 by Mark Leno would bar property owners from using the Ellis Act until they’ve owned a property for at least five consecutive years. Moreover, it would prohibit a property owner from using the act on more than one property.
About 40 property owners, many chanting in Mandarin and some holding “Keep Ellis Unchanged” signs, protested the legislation during a Leno press conference… Read More
Tagged: Ellis Act
The California Apartment Association briefed the Moderate Democrats Caucus in the State Assembly this week about threats to the Ellis Act and the importance of preserving the state law.
On Tuesday, about a dozen of the lawmakers heard from Tom Bannon, CAA’s chief executive officer, and Shant Apekian, vice president of public affairs.
Passed by the State Legislature in 1985, California’s Ellis Act provides that no local government can require a rental property owner to continue to offer his or her housing for rent.
Some San Francisco officials and tenant rights organizations want the Legislature to amend the Ellis act… Read More
Tagged: Ellis ActEvictionsLegislature
For most folks, if they hate their job, or it just doesn’t pay enough, they can always quit.
But what if you’re a landlord?
It’s not easy, and if San Francisco politicians and at least one tenant advocacy group have their way, landlords will face more hurdles and costs if they try.
In their sights is the Ellis Act, which provides limitations on what a local government can require of property owners who wish to end their rental housing business.
What you’re unlikely to hear in the media is that the Ellis Act and local ordinances like one in San… Read More
A chapter of the California Apartment Association and two other groups have sued the city of San Francisco, claiming it passed legislation that violates building owners’ rights under the state’s Ellis Act.
The legislation, approved by the San Francisco Board of Supervisors and signed by Mayor Ed Lee, prohibits owners of multi-unit buildings from combining units in a building for 10 years following an Ellis Act eviction or for five years following an owner-move-in eviction.
The lawsuit, filed Tuesday, Jan. 28, says the state Ellis Act pre-empts the city legislation. The Ellis Act allows building owners to take a building… Read More
Tagged: Ellis ActLegislation
During an NPR talk show last week, the California Apartment Association shared its perspective on a controversial law that’s allowed an uptick in San Francisco evictions.
On Thursday, Nov. 21, AirTalk with Larry Mantle focused on the Ellis Act, which allows landlords to quit being landlords, take apartments off the rental market and either move in or sell them.
In San Francisco, where much multifamily housing is under rent control, selling a property at market value can make more financial sense than continuing to rent it out. In some cases, the Ellis Act can rescue a property owner from financial… Read More