San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie has declared a “rent emergency” for the city and unveiled six new ordinances designed to delay evictions, limit the level of rent increases forced upon residents, and increase funding for nonprofit lawyers who represent tenants in eviction cases.
According to combined media sources, median rent in San Francisco was up by nearly 26% year-over-year in August, with the hikes being mostly attributed to the boom in the Bay Area’s artificial intelligence (AI) industry and a significant lack of new housing construction. The average rent for a one-bedroom apartment in the city is more than $4,300. At the same time, eviction notices were 44% in the latest yearlong period tracked by the city.
Lurie, a moderate Democrat who was elected in 2024, lacks the legislative authority to freeze rents. The evaporation of affordable housing has been an obstacle in the mayor’s effort to reanimate San Francisco’s economy and standard of living. Indeed, during a press conference this morning he insisted that most residents “feel the city is finally moving in the right direction.”
Nonetheless, he stated the housing crisis cannot be ignored.
“San Francisco is in a rent emergency, and as elected leaders in this city, we need to take action that meets the moment,” Lurie said. “Rising rents are making it harder for the people who have built their lives here to stay here.”
Among Lurie’s proposed ordinances would be a 25% increase in payments to tenants if they’re evicted under the state Ellis Act, or $3,000 per person. The Ellis Act enables landlords to evict tenants from rent-controlled homes if the owner seeks to remove the units from the market.
Lurie also repeated support for Supervisor Jackie Fielder’s legislation to prohibit evictions unless a tenant owes more than one month’s fair market rent as defined by the federal government. He also put a price tag to several of his proposals, including adding $3 million to a program that provides free legal representation to tenants facing eviction and allocating $27 million on rental subsidies to cover the loss of federal housing vouchers due to expire at year’s end.
Furthermore, Lurie seeks to spend $1 million on a “Know Your Rights” marketing campaign to educate renters and landlords on legal safeguards and responsibilities.
“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,” Lurie said. “Today, we are taking action to tackle San Francisco’s rent emergency head-on and help San Franciscans stay in their homes.”
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