It seems every day there is a news article about San Francisco’s increasing median rents. They are the highest in the country. They are rising. You can see the most talked about data from Zumper here. But is this really a true reflection of what is going on all over the city? To see why this… Read More
Why We Need to Start Having a Conversation About Ending or Modifying Rent Control
May 19, 2015 by
There is no denying San Francisco is in the midst of a housing crisis as it is during every economic boom. Housing programs such as Section 8 and public housing help lower income residents and wealthy residents remain unaffected, but the middle class suffers. It is time for us to look at Rent Control to… Read More
Happy New Year! What to Expect in 2015
January 19, 2015 by
A new year brings new hope for us as landlords and unfortunately new determination for tenants’ unions to pass more tenant-friendly legislation. Landlords were successful in 2014 in knocking down some landmark legislation and court rulings aimed at making owning properties more difficult and costly, including SB 1439 (Leno) and Levin vs. San Francisco. 2015 vows to… Read More
San Francisco’s Business Registration Fees Ordinance
December 17, 2014 by
The Gross Receipts Tax and Business Registration Fees Ordinance (2012 Proposition E) was approved by San Francisco voters on November 6, 2012 and implemented in 2014. Although 2014 has come and gone, there still seems to be some confusion among my clients about the gross receipts tax. So I wanted to take the opportunity to… Read More
Give a Tenant an Inch, They’ll Take a Mile…And More!
August 22, 2014 by
While we all try to get the best tenants possible, occasionally a bad one slips through the cracks, or we may purchase a new building and inherit such a tenant. They may pay their rent late, create nuisances for other tenants or create safety hazards in the building. While it can be a frustrating and… Read More
In a Wave of Bad New for Landlords, A Small Victory for a Lingsch Realty Client
July 24, 2014 by
I truly love my job and count my blessings each day for the wonderful opportunity my grandfather bestowed on me. However, I would be remiss if I did not confess that the current media portrayal of the rental market and tenants’ sense of entitlement frustrates me. From tenants’ unwillingness to cooperate with construction that will… Read More
Preserve the Ellis Act
April 20, 2014 by
San Francisco lawmakers have introduced a pair of bills to the state legislature that would hamper a property owner’s ability to quit the rental housing business. The pending bill, which would force buyers to own a building for at least five years before they could evict tenants using the Ellis Act, has moved out of… Read More
What is the Ellis Act?
March 21, 2014 by
The Ellis Act has taken center stage in San Francisco real estate media in recent months. While those evoking the Ellis Act or tenants displaced by the Act are well versed in what it is and what it means, bystanders may not. I would like to give a brief overview of the law and current… Read More
New Laws for 2014 That Affect Property Owners
January 28, 2014 by
Smoke Detector Compliance: Effective July 1, 2014, a battery-operated smoke alarm will not be legal unless it contains a non-replaceable, non-removable battery capable of powering the smoke alarm for at least 10 years. Until July 1, 2015, an exception to this rule applies to smoke alarms ordered by, or in the inventory of , an… Read More