The San Francisco Rent Board has published the minutes for its April 2016 meeting. It also published its agenda for its next meeting.
The April meeting contained a noteworthy case about merger/demolition of units. In 2434 California Street #1, the landlord argued that an unlimited rent increase under Costa-Hawkins was authorized for a dwelling unit with a post-1979 certificate of final completion (falling within the exemption for newly constructed units). There had previously been a covered unit in the back of a commercial space, which was removed with permits, in order to create an ADA-compliant bathroom. The Board nonetheless found that the newly constructed unit was covered by the Rent Ordinance, apparently reasoning that it was a “reimagining” of the original unit, instead of a distinct, newly constructed unit.
