REPORT

The Rent Board Rules and Regulations

Writing on paper

Recent changes to the Rent Board Rules and Regulations

The Rules and Regulations are adopted by the Rent Board's Commissioners, and govern how the Rent Ordinance is implemented. It was last amended on 8/13/24.Recent Amendments to the Rules and Regulations

625 - Complete San Francisco Rent Board Rules and Regulations

Table of Contents
PartSubject

I

DEFINITIONS

Section 1.10   Alternates

Section 1.11   Anniversary Date

Section 1.12   Annual Rent Increase

Section 1.13   Capital Improvements

Section 1.14   Energy Conservation

Section 1.15   Newly Covered Unit

Section 1.16   Proposition I Affected Unit

Section 1.17   Rental Units

Section 1.18   New Construction and Substantial Rehabilitation

Section 1.19   Tenant's Utilities

Section 1.20   Wrongful Eviction

Section 1.21   Tenant In Occupancy

II

BOARD ORGANIZATION AND PROCEDURES

Section 2.10   Election of Officers

Section 2.11   Board Alternates

Section 2.12   Decisions by the Board

Section 2.13   Board Meetings

Section 2.14   Agenda

Section 2.15   Per Diem Compensation

Section 2.16   Financial Disclosure and Conflict of Interest Statement

Section 2.17   Conflict of Interest

Section 2.18   Waiver of Regulations

Section 2.19   Advisory Opinions

Section 2.20   Index of Decisions

Section 2.21   Parental Leave Policy

III

FEES

Section 3.10   Amount of Fees

Section 3.11   Waiver of Fees

Section 3.12   Deposit of Estimator Fees

IV

RENT INCREASES NOT REQUIRING APPROVAL

Section 4.10   Notice

Section 4.11   Computation of Passthrough of Gas and Electricity

Section 4.12   Banking

Section 4.13   Charges Related to Excess Water Use

Section 4.14   Water Revenue Bond Passthrough

Section 4.15   Effect of Vacancy

V

LANDLORD PETITION FOR ARBITRATION

Section 5.10   Who must file

Section 5.11   Information to Accompany Landlord Petition

Section 5.12   Time of Filing Petition

Section 5.13   Imposition of Rent Increases Granted by the Administrative Law Judge

Section 5.14   Administrative Dismissal

VI

RENT INCREASE JUSTIFICATIONS

Section 6.10   Operating and Maintenance Expenses

Section 6.11   Comparables

Section 6.12   Defenses

Section 6.13   Prohibition Against Agreements to Pay Additional Rent for Additional Occupants

Section 6.14   Establishing Rental Rates for Subsequent Occupants

Section 6.15   Subletting and Assignment

Section 6.15A Subletting and Assignment—Where Rental Agreement Includes an Absolute Prohibition Against Subletting and Assignment

Section 6.15B Subletting and Assignment—Where Rental Agreement Contains a Clause Requiring Landlord Consent to Subletting and Assignment

Section 6.15C  Master Tenants

Section 6.15D  Additional Family Members—Where Rental Agreement Limits the Number of Occupants or Limits or Prohibits Subletting

Section 6.15E  Additional Occupants Who Are Not Family Members—Where Rental Agreement Limits the Number of Occupants or Limits or Prohibits Subletting

Section 6.16   Utility Passthrough

VII

LANDLORD APPLICATIONS FOR CERTIFICATION OF CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS, REHABILITATION, AND/OR ENERGY CONSERVATION WORK

Section 7.10   Filing

Section 7.11   Inspection of the Building

Section 7.12   Allocation of Cost of Improvements or Work to Individual Units

Section 7.13   Valuation of Uncompensated Labor

Section 7.14   Allowance of Interest

Section 7.15   Tenant Objections

Section 7.16   Base Rent

Section 7.17   Administrative Dismissal

Section 7.18   Repair and Rehabilitation Work Due to Natural Disaster

VIII

LANDLORD APPLICATION FOR CERTIFICATION OF SUBSTANTIAL REHABILITATION

Section 8.10   Who Must File

Section 8.11   Time of Filing Application

Section 8.12   Application for Certification

Section 8.13   Fees  

Section 8.14   Notification of Tenants

Section 8.15   Valuation of Uncompensated Labor

Section 8.16    Inspection of Building

Section 8.17   Tenant Objections

IX

TENANT SUMMARY PETITIONS

Section 9.10   Grounds for Summary Petitions

X

TENANT PETITION FOR ARBITRATION

Section 10.10 Decrease in Services

Section 10.11 Failure to Perform Ordinary Repair and Maintenance

Section 10.12 Documentation of Gas and Electrical Increases

Section 10.13 Improper Utility Passthrough

Section 10.14 Improper Water Revenue Bond Passthrough

Section 10.15 Tenant Financial Hardship Applications

XI

HEARINGS

Section 11.10 Time of Hearing; Consolidation

Section 11.11 Notice of Hearing; Response

Section 11.12 Notice to Attorney

Section 11.13 Postponements

Section 11.14 Absence of Parties

Section 11.15 Mediation

Section 11.16 Refusal of Hearing in Certain Instances

Section 11.17 Conduct of Hearing

Section 11.18 Burden of Proof

Section 11.19 Stipulations

Section 11.20 Record of Proceedings

Section 11.21 Party Use of Reporter

Section 11.22 Personal Appearances and Representation by Agent

Section 11.23 Legal Representation or Assistance of an Interpreter in Certain Cases

Section 11.24 Decisions of the Administrative Law Judge

Section 11.25 Expedited Hearings

XII

LEGAL ACTIONS UNDER ORDINANCE SECTION 37.9(e)

Section 12.10 Reports of Alleged Wrongful Evictions; Notice to Parties

Section 12.11 Investigation of Reports of Alleged Wrongful Eviction

Section 12.12 Hearing of Alleged Wrongful Eviction

Section 12.13 Legal Action

Section 12.14 Evictions under Section 37.9(a)(8)

Section 12.15 Evictions Regarding Capital Improvement or Rehabilitation Work

Section 12.16 Reoccupancy Following Evictions Under Section 37.9(a)(11)

Section 12.17 Notices to Vacate Filed with the Board

Section 12.18 Procedures Regarding Evictions under Section 37.9(a)(13)

Section 12.19 Other Displacements

Section 12.20 Evictions under Section 37.9(a)(2)

XIII

REPORTING OBLIGATIONS UNDER RENT ORDINANCE SECTION 37.15

Section 13.10 Reporting of “Approximate Square Footage”

Section 13.11 “Bedroom” and “Bathroom” Defined

Section 13.12 Date “Occupancy Commenced”

Section 13.13 No Penalty for Inadvertent Failure to Report or Accurately Convey Information that is Unknown and Otherwise Unobtainable by Legal Means and Reasonable Efforts

Section 13.14 Licensing – Notice of Rent Increase

Purchase paper copies

You can purchase a copy of The Rent Ordinance and/or The Rules and Regulations. We recommend that you get both, since the Rules explain how the Ordinance is applied.

They are $4.00 each, or $8.00 for both.

They are also available by mail for $11.00 for the package, which includes postage. You can send us a check, made payable to the "Rent Board" for $11.00 and we will mail copies to you.

You can also review a copy of these documents at the San Francisco Public Library's Government Information Center and the San Francisco Law Library.

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