Does the SF Rent Ordinance affect my remodel scope?

If your San Francisco building has two or more residential units and was permitted for construction before June 13, 1979, the SF Rent Ordinance applies — and that materially constrains remodel scope, schedule, and tenant interaction.

The SF Residential Rent Stabilization and Arbitration Ordinance is codified at SF Administrative Code Chapter 37 ("Chapter 37"). The two coverage triggers are unit count (≥2) and certificate-of-occupancy date (pre-June 13, 1979, the date the ordinance took effect). Owner-occupied single-family homes, post-1979 construction, and most condominiums sold after subdivision are exempt from rent control, though many are still covered by Chapter 37's just-cause eviction protections under §37.9.

What the Rent Ordinance does to remodel scope:

• Tenant habitability under SFAC §37.9(a)(11) and SFBC §401 — landlords must maintain habitability throughout work; loss of kitchen, bathroom, or heat without a written displacement plan is a constructive eviction.
• Temporary displacement under §37.9C — tenants displaced for capital improvement work for fewer than 20 days get per-day relocation payments (currently $483.18/day per tenant, max $14,495.55, indexed annually). Displacements over 20 days flip to permanent-displacement rules.
• Permanent displacement — if work requires the tenant to vacate for more than 60 days or removes their unit from the rental market, you trigger Ellis Act (Govt Code §7060) or just-cause-eviction analysis under SFAC §37.9, both of which have multi-year re-rental restrictions and substantial relocation payments ($8,400–$25,000+ per tenant in 2024 dollars).
• Limits on alteration — work that reduces unit size, removes amenities (laundry hookups, parking, storage), or changes the number of bedrooms can constitute a substantial decrease in housing services under SFAC §37.2(r), entitling tenants to a rent reduction petition before the Rent Board.
• Capital improvement passthrough under SFAC §37.7 — only specific upgrades (seismic, energy efficiency, ADA, lead/asbestos abatement) qualify, and passthrough is capped at ~10%/year of the tenant's base rent.

Verify coverage on the SF Assessor-Recorder's Property Information Map (the original construction date is on the assessor record) and confirm unit count via DBI permit history. Plan tenant noticing, relocation funds, and a written habitability plan into the schedule before pulling the permit — Rent Board petitions can claw back rent for years and stack with civil penalties.