Rental Property Rules in San Francisco, CA (2026)
10 verified rental property rules for San Francisco, California, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Rent Control
San Francisco's Rent Stabilization and Arbitration Ordinance (Administrative Code Chapter 37) applies to most rental units built before June 13, 1979. Annual rent increases are limited to a percentage set by the Rent Board, which was 1.4% for March 2025 through February 2026.
San Francisco Rent Ordinance
Some RestrictionsCalifornia Civil Code Sec. 1947.12 (Tenant Protection Act Rent Cap — 5% + CPI, Maximum 10%)
1947.12. (a) (1) Subject to subdivision (b), an owner of residential real property shall not, over the course of any 12-month period, increase the gross rental rate for a dwelling or a unit more than 5 percent plus the percentage change in the cost of living, or 10 percent, whichever is lower, of the lowest gross rental rate charged for that dwelling or unit at any time during the 12 months pri...
Just Cause Eviction
San Francisco has required just cause for evictions since August 24, 1980. Administrative Code Section 37.9(a) says a landlord shall not endeavor to recover possession of a covered rental unit unless one of its listed grounds exists, so even attempting an eviction without a qualifying reason violates the Rent Ordinance. The San Francisco Rent Board administers the rule citywide, on top of whatever state law provides.
SF Local Just Cause Eviction Ordinance
Significant RestrictionsSan Francisco, CA, Administrative Code § 37.9(a)
A landlord shall not endeavor to recover possession of a rental unit unless: (1) The tenant: (A) Has failed to pay the rent to which the landlord is lawfully entitled under the oral or written agreement between the tenant and landlord... (B) Habitually pays the rent late; or (C) Gives checks which are frequently returned because there are insufficient funds in the checking account
Rental Registration
All landlords with units subject to the Rent Ordinance must register with the San Francisco Rent Board and pay an annual fee per unit. The fee funds the Rent Board's operations including dispute resolution, counseling, and enforcement.
San Francisco Rental Property Registration
Significant RestrictionsCalifornia Civil Code Sec. 1947.12(k) (Rent Cap Enforcement — Treble Damages and Attorney's Fees)
1947.12. (e) An owner shall provide notice of any increase in the rental rate, pursuant to subdivision (a), to each tenant in accordance with Section 827... (k) (1) An owner who demands, accepts, receives, or retains any payment of rent in excess of the maximum rent allowed by this section shall be liable in a civil action to the tenant from whom those payments are demanded for all of the follo...
Relocation Assistance
Landlords pursuing no-fault evictions must pay statutory relocation assistance per tenant, with elderly, disabled, and minor occupants receiving enhanced amounts. The Rent Board updates dollar figures annually for inflation under Administrative Code Section 37.9C.
Mandatory Tenant Relocation Payments
Significant RestrictionsCalifornia Civil Code Sec. 1946.2(d) (Relocation Assistance — One Month's Rent for No-Fault Evictions)
1946.2. (d) (1) For a tenancy for which just cause is required to terminate the tenancy under subdivision (a), if an owner of residential real property issues a termination notice based on a no-fault just cause described in paragraph (2) of subdivision (b), the owner shall, regardless of the tenant's income, at the owner's option, do one of the following: (A) Assist the tenant to relocate by pr...
No-Fault Evictions
San Francisco's Rent Ordinance lists a narrow set of no-fault eviction reasons including owner move-in, Ellis Act withdrawal, capital improvements, and substantial rehabilitation. Each category triggers relocation payments and strict noticing rules under Chapter 37.
Just-Cause No-Fault Eviction Categories
Some RestrictionsCalifornia Civil Code Sec. 1946.2 (Tenant Protection Act — Just Cause and No-Fault Eviction Grounds)
1946.2. (a) Notwithstanding any other law, after a tenant has continuously and lawfully occupied a residential real property for 12 months, the owner of the residential real property shall not terminate a tenancy without just cause, which shall be stated in the written notice to terminate tenancy... (b) (2) No-fault just cause, which means any of the following: (A) (i) Intent to occupy the resi...
Tenant Anti-Harassment
Section 37.10B of the Rent Ordinance prohibits 16 categories of landlord harassment including utility shutoffs, threats, false eviction notices, and abusing buyout offers. Tenants may sue for treble damages and statutory penalties up to $1,000 per offense.
Tenant Anti-Harassment Ordinance Protections
Some RestrictionsCalifornia Civil Code Sec. 1940.2 (Unlawful Landlord Conduct — Tenant Anti-Harassment, $2,000 Penalty)
1940.2. (a) It is unlawful for a landlord to do any of the following for the purpose of influencing a tenant to vacate a dwelling: (1) Engage in conduct that violates subdivision (a) of Section 484 of the Penal Code. (2) Engage in conduct that violates Section 518 of the Penal Code. (3) Use, or threaten to use, force, willful threats, or menacing conduct constituting a course of conduct that in...
Source-of-Income Discrimination
San Francisco's Police Code Section 3304 bars landlords from refusing rental applicants because their income comes from Section 8, VASH, or other government subsidies. Refusing vouchers is treated as discrimination by the SF Human Rights Commission.
Section 8 Voucher Source-of-Income Protection
Some RestrictionsCalifornia Government Code Sec. 12955 (FEHA — Source of Income Discrimination Prohibited, Including Section 8 Vouchers)
12955. It shall be unlawful: (a) For the owner of any housing accommodation to discriminate against or harass any person because of the race, color, religion, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, ancestry, familial status, source of income, disability, veteran or military status, or genetic information of that person... (p) (1) Fo...
AB-1482 Notice Disclosure
Units exempt from SF Chapter 37 rent control may still fall under California's AB 1482 statewide cap. Landlords must provide a written notice citing the 5% plus CPI cap or claim a statutory exemption such as single-family-home with corporate-ownership disclosure.
AB 1482 State-Law Rent Cap Notice
Some RestrictionsCalifornia Civil Code Sec. 1946.2(f) (AB 1482 Required Tenant Notice — Rent Cap and Just-Cause Disclosure)
1946.2. (f) An owner of residential real property subject to this section shall provide notice to the tenant as follows... (3) The notification or lease provision shall be in no less than 12-point type, and shall include the following: 'California law limits the amount your rent can be increased. See Section 1947.12 of the Civil Code for more information. California law also provides that after...
Rent Increase Notice
San Francisco landlords must hand tenants a written breakdown of every rent increase, itemizing the annual increase, cost passthroughs, and other components, on or before the date of the legal notice.
SF Rent Increase Notice Requirements
Some RestrictionsSan Francisco, CA, Administrative Code § 37.3(b), (b)(1), (b)(5)
On or before the date upon which a landlord gives a tenant legal notice of a rent increase, the landlord shall inform the tenant, in writing, of the following: (1) Which portion of the rent increase reflects the annual increase, and/or a banked amount, if any... Nonconforming Rent Increases. Any rent increase which does not conform with the provisions of this Section shall be null and void.
Repairs & Habitability
San Francisco's Housing Code declares a rental building substandard when a listed defect, from missing hot water to structural hazards, endangers occupants or the public, and automatically makes it a nuisance.
San Francisco Substandard Building Standards
Some RestrictionsSan Francisco, CA, Housing Code Ch. 10, § 1001(a)
Any residential building or portion thereof... in which there exists any of the conditions enumerated in this chapter to an extent that endangers the life, limb, health, property, safety or welfare of the public or the occupants thereof shall be deemed and hereby is declared to be a substandard building. Any building or portion thereof, determined to be a substandard building under this Section...