BMR Inclusionary Housing Program leasing agent FAQ's

Make sure you understand the restrictions for units under the City and County of San Francisco Inclusionary Housing Program.

Introduction

Certain units in your building may be restricted under the City and County of San Francisco Inclusionary Housing Program. The below market rate (BMR) units are legally restricted and may only be rented to qualified households paying a maximum allowable rent as established by our office. Please review the City and County of San Francisco Inclusionary Affordable Housing Program Procedures Manual for the most current official program rules.

When and how do I adjust BMR rents?

You may adjust the rent levels for each household on the lease anniversary date for that specific household. If you have moved off of that date, please contact our office.

You may not “bank” rent increases. This creates an undue and sudden burden for the renters. It is the responsibility of the BMR rental leasing agent to verify and implement program approved rent levels for each BMR unit.

You must follow all applicable laws regarding proper notice for the rent increase. There is no specific rule set by the Mayor's Office of Housing and Community Development (MOHCD) for this matter.

What rent level do I apply to my BMR units?

Please refer to the current rent levels that apply to the specific percentage of area median income (AMI) for your units. If you have a question about the income target of your units, please refer to the Notice of Special Restrictions recorded against your property or contact our office.

How do I re-rent a BMR Unit?

You must contact our office when you have a vacancy at least 30 days before you intend for the unit to become available and work through our office to rerental a BMR Rental Unit. Please review our re-rental process before contacting our office.

What about the lease?

All leases must be 12-month leases. You must attach a program lease addendum or BMR Acknowledgement to all leases. Please contact our office for the current BMR Acknowledgement.

How will our BMR tenants be monitored?

The Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development will conduct annual monitoring of the BMR units in your building to ensure that the units are rented to qualified renters.

How do I learn more about the Program?

Please read the Inclusionary Affordable Housing Program Procedures Manual and visit our resource page. Additionally, MOHCD provides annual BMR rental leasing agent training.

Last updated November 18, 2022