The company generally recognized as San Francisco’s largest landlord has rejected demands by more than 1,200 tenants to help all the company’s renters recover from COVID-19 hardships.
Author Archives: Noah Arroyo
Noah Arroyo is the San Francisco Public Press’ editor. He has previously worked at the San Francisco Chronicle and Mission Local, specializing in enterprise journalism.
Posted in“Civic” Podcast, Housing
Hundreds of Buildings Behind on Quake Retrofits, Though Few Show Gas Leak Risk
A new audit found that few retrofitted buildings have a suspected gas line hazard that caused an uproar earlier this year. But it’s not all good news. Hundreds of buildings overshot the retrofit program’s deadline for seismic work.
Posted inCommunity, Government & Politics, Health, Neighborhoods
Despite Upgrades, Treasure Island Power Outages Persist
Residents of San Francisco’s Treasure Island suffered half a dozen power outages in the three months after electrical upgrades were completed this July. That’s just the latest episode in what’s been an ongoing problem for the island.
Posted inCoronavirus, Housing
Proposed Tenant-Organizing Protections Could Shift Balance of Power in SF
Renters throughout San Francisco could gain power to lessen COVID-19 financial hardships and improve conditions in their buildings with political-organizing tools that have a history of success in subsidized housing.
Posted inCoronavirus, Housing
Got Sued for Pandemic Rent Debt? Here’s What You Need to Know
Starting in November, many San Francisco tenants may have to defend themselves in small claims court if their landlords sue to obtain unpaid rent due since March 2020.
Posted in“Civic” Podcast, Coronavirus, Economy & Business, Government & Politics, Health, Housing
Thousands in SF Saddled With Rent Debt but Ineligible for Government Help
Thousands of San Franciscans who borrowed money to pay rent during the pandemic are stuck with that debt, making them worse off than those who let the bills lapse.
Federal relief funds cover only unpaid housing expenses. That leaves tenants vulnerable if they made good-faith efforts to pay those costs by taking on thousands of dollars of debt to credit card companies, payday lenders, relatives or friends — especially if they later seek different housing.
Posted inCoronavirus, Housing, News
How SF Renters Can Face Down the Eviction Wave and Stay Housed
Thursday marked the end of the statewide moratorium on evictions for unpaid rents due to COVID-19-related hardships, and by Friday landlords could begin the process to remove tenants.
But the head of tenant legal defense in San Francisco wants renters to hear one message loud and clear: “You’re still protected.”
Posted inCommunity, Coronavirus, Health, Neighborhoods
Low Vaccination Rates in Parts of Bayview Could Be Driving High COVID-19 Infections
Low vaccination rates in several pockets of the Bayview-Hunters Point neighborhood could help explain persistently high cases of COVID-19 in San Francisco’s southeast, recently released data indicates.
Posted inEconomy & Business, Environment, Health, Housing, Land use
State Report Links Redlining and Pollution Threats
San Francisco neighborhoods the federal government targeted with racist lending practices face the greatest health threats from pollution, a recent state study found. The California Environmental Protection Agency analyzed the latest pollution data in historically redlined neighborhoods, where people of color were denied mortgage loans under federal policies, in the report finalized in August.
Posted inEnvironment, Health, Neighborhoods
Air-Pollution Tracking Project Launches in SF Bayview
Environmental activists are about to launch an air-monitoring project to track pollution linked to high rates of asthma and other health conditions in San Francisco’s Bayview-Hunters Point neighborhood. The results could play an important role in demonstrating the environmental harm residents suffer.