Making a plea on behalf of San Francisco renters

While the City Attorney’s Office looks into the possible impacts to San
Francisco from a California Supreme Court ruling that will prevent Los
Angeles from enforcing its city mandates for affordable rental housing,
Board of Supervisors President David Chiu put together a resolution
“urging” the state legislation to act on behalf of low-income
residents, not landlords.  The Costa Hawkins Act allows landlords to
set initial rental rates; the recent ruling in the Palmer/Sixth Street
Properties vs. City of Los Angeles said a city law requiring that some
units be priced below market rates violated the state law.  Chiu’s
resolution, which will come before the board on Tuesday, requests that
California lawmakers amend Costa Hawkins to exempt local
affordable-housing ordinances.