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Proposition H Increases Relocation Payments For No-Fault Evictions

The voters approved Proposition H on November 7, 2006. The proposition requires landlords to pay relocation payments to tenants who are evicted for owner/relative move-in under Section 37.9(a)(8), demolition or permanent removal from housing use under Section 37.9(a)(10), temporary evictions to do capital improvement work under Section 37.9(a)(11), and substantial rehabilitation under Section 37.9(a)(12). (Note: Relocation payments for Ellis evictions under Section 37.9(a)(13) remain subject to Ordinance Section 37.9A(e)(3), and are similar but not identical to the provisions of Proposition H.) Proposition H goes into effect on December 22, 2006, and by its terms applies to notices to quit served on or after August 10, 2006.

Under the proposition, each authorized occupant, regardless of age, who has resided in the unit for at least one year, is entitled to a payment of $4,500.00, with a maximum payment of $13,500.00 per unit. In addition, each elderly (60 years or older) or disabled tenant, and each household with one or more minor children, is entitled to an additional payment of $3,000.00. The above amounts are also required to be adjusted for inflation annually beginning March 1, 2007. The landlord is required to give tenants written notice of relocation rights on or before service of the notice to quit, and within 30 days of receiving a tenant's claim for the additional $3,000.00 payment, the landlord must inform the Rent Board in writing of the tenant's claim and whether or not the landlord disputes the claim. Note the following significant changes from current law: (1) single family dwellings and condominiums are now subject to the requirement to pay relocation even for OMI/relative move-ins, and (2)relocation payments also apply to subtenants and minor children as long as they are authorized occupants in residence for a year.

Link to Prop. H (pdf) from the Department of Elections.


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OULD LOVE TO HEAR YOUR THOUGTS ON THIS. WE ARE TRYING TO MOVE BACK INTO OUR HOUSE IN SAN FRANCISCO AFTER RENTING IT OUT FOR 19 YEARS. LAURA