As rent costs continue to rise astronomically and affordable units become increasingly scarce throughout San Francisco, Mayor Daniel Lurie announced plans to tackle the crisis by declaring a rent emergency on Thursday, Sept. 10.
Although the declaration is more symbolic than a justification for emergency powers, Lurie used the announcement to lay out his support for a package of policies to reform the city's housing crisis.
The reform package includes six proposed ordinances and more than $30 million in investments meant to protect renters from sudden rent spikes and "unfair eviction" and to give people new legal tools to exercise their rights "if they are facing unlawful landlord behavior."
“Today, most San Franciscans feel our city is finally
moving in the right direction, but many are also asking whether they can still afford to live here. Today, we are taking action to tackle San Francisco’s rent emergency head-on and help San Franciscans stay in their homes,” Lurie said in a statement.
“Leaders from across government and across the city are standing together, united behind a sweeping package of reforms and investments to provide renters greater stability. We have lived through booms before—this time, we have an opportunity to build a recovery that is broad-based and lasting, where San Franciscans can put down roots and participate in our city’s success.”
As the AI boom in San Francisco has brought a wave of generational wealth to many working in the industry, it has also made San Francisco the second most expensive city in the U.S. because of sharp increases in the cost of living and housing costs, according to the Economic Research Institute.
Over the last few years, many residents have complained about being priced out of the city as landlords have raised rents. This sentiment was reflected in Zumper's National Rental report, which found that rent for a one-bedroom in San Francisco has increased 25.7% year over year, ultimately averaging around $4,300 — only $200 behind New York City’s $4,500.
To address the sharp year-over-year rise in rental costs, Danny Sauter, San Francisco's District 3 Supervisor, announced Thursday that he would introduce legislation capping how much landlords can increase rents via banked increases and capital improvement charges. The legislation would only allow landlords to increase rents by up to 10% for rent-controlled tenants.
“This moment calls for stronger action to keep longtime residents in their homes, free of harassment and clear of devastating surprise rent hikes,” Sauter said.
“Alongside Mayor Lurie, I am introducing legislation to add important guardrails to the practice of banked rent. Annual rent increases from banked rent and capital improvement charges will be capped at 10% for rent-controlled tenants, bringing stability and protections to hundreds of thousands of San Franciscans. As a renter myself, I'll continue to work to bring down the cost of housing, bolstering tenant protections and aggressively working to build more homes.”
Additionally, Matt Dorsey, San Francisco's District 6 Supervisor, announced he would sponsor legislation that would provide tenants with an annual reminder of rent-increase limits and just-cause eviction rules.
District 9 Supervisor Jackie Fielder also announced she would sponsor legislation to stop evictions of renters who have fallen narrowly behind on rent and to prevent landlords from evicting tenants for nonpayment unless a tenant owes at least one month of fair market rent set by the federal government.
Lurie announced plans to expand San Francisco's Tenant Right to Counsel program with an additional $3 million and raise the standard households must meet to qualify for full-scope eviction representation.
"Regional research has found that tenants receiving full-scope legal representation were 39% more likely to remain in their homes than those receiving limited-scope representation," Lurie's announcement reads.
In addition, Lurie plans to provide more support for programs like the Ellis Act and help residents who relied on expiring federal housing vouchers with city-provided funding for the rest of this year.
“Everyday San Franciscans cannot afford to live here, and even those paying astronomical rents are getting evicted. This is not sustainable, and renters need help,” said City Attorney David Chiu.
“Our renter protection laws can only help if tenants know about them and they are enforced. My office is bringing a renewed focus on weeding out systemic bad behavior that forces people out of their homes. Thanks to Mayor Lurie for spearheading this effort and bringing us together to address this challenge head-on.”
Noe Padilla is a Northern California Reporter for USA Today. Contact him at npadilla@usatodayco.com, follow him on X @1NoePadilla or on Bluesky @noepadilla.bsky.social. Sign up for the TODAY Californian newsletter or follow us on Facebook at TODAY Californian.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Mayor Lurie lays out plan to address 'rent emergency' in San Francisco
