Facing Eviction? You Still Have Rights! 

(español sigue) Evictions have and will continue to rise as state rental protections are rendered almost obsolete by the end of March.
The state-wide eviction moratorium ended in September 2021, and state rental protections are coming to an end on March 31st. While both of these programs offered temporary aid, they did not offer permanent, tangible solutions to renters who have borne the brunt of pandemic related economic loss.
Don’t leave your home, and do not sign any documents until you seek advice from a tenant counselor. If you receive an Unlawful Detainer, please contact Eviction Defense Collaborative as soon as possible for assistance:
Call: 415-659-9184
Email: legal@evictiondefense.org
While these specific COVID-19 protections may no longer be in place on the state level, it is important to remember that tenants in SF have rights! If you’re experiencing harassment or pressure from your landlord, or fear you might be evicted there are tenant rights groups that can offer help.
“Do not leave your home until you face a judge. Please seek legal help and call a tenant hotline as soon as you can. We are in a crisis in evictions right now. Only a judge and a Sheriff can evict you.” says Lourdes Alarcón, a Rights-Based organizer and Tenant Counselor at Causa Justa.
You have rights and agency to your home and your quality of living. If you feel like any of these rights have been violated by your landlord, these organizations offer counseling in San Francisco for code enforcement, evictions, repairs, harassment, and tenant rights:

Bill Sorro Housing Program (BIsHOP)

For help with affordable housing applications, DAHLIA applications, and tenant rights information.
Para obtener ayuda con solicitudes de vivienda asequible, solicitudes de DAHLIA e información sobre los derechos de los inquilinos.
Phone counseling only/Solo consejería telefónica: (415) 513-5177 or email info@bishopsf.org
Languages: English, Arabic, Spanish, French

 

CAUSA JUSTA::JUST CAUSE (CJJC)
Phone counseling only/Solo consejería telefónica: Leave a voicemail /Dejar un buzón de voz at 415-487-9203
Languages: Spanish, English

 

CHINATOWN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CENTER (CDCC)

Please call/ por favor llama: 415-984-2730
Drop-in clinic  / Clínica sin cita previa Mondays/lunes from 2-4pm & Thursdays/ jueves 10:30am-2:30pm, 663 Clay Street San Francisco.
Languages: Cantonese, Mandarin, English

 

HOUSING RIGHTS COMMITTEE OF SF (HRCSF)

Mission Office – (415) 703-8634
Languages: English, Spanish, Cantonese and Mandarin)

Westside Office  – (415) 947-9085
Languages: English, Russian, Cantonese and Mandarin

 

SOUTH OF MARKET COMMUNITY ACTION NETWORK (SOMCAN)

Call or send a text message to / Llamar o enviar mensajes de prueba a (650) 273-6713.
Appointments can also be scheduled to  / las citas también se pueden programar para tenantcounselor@somcan.org
Languages: English and Tagalog

 

TENDERLOIN HOUSING CLINIC CEOP PROGRAM 

Leave a voicemail at / Deje un correo de voz en (415 )775-7110 ext.: 1702 or by sending an email /enviar un correo electrónico to allyn@thclinic.org

Languages: English and Spanish

 

TENANT TIPS     ↵

Here are some Tenant Tips from Causa Justa to keep in mind as you navigate through situations that may be violating your rights. When we know the power we hold, we can advocate for ourselves to have safe and habitable homes protected from displacement.

Top 10 Tenant Tips 

  1. Receipt for rent & deposit
    1. You have the right to a receipt any time you pay rent.
    2. Your landlord or master tenant can’t demand cash payment without giving a proper receipt.
    3. If they refuse to give rent receipts for cash payments, we recommend that people pay with check or money orders. This gives you documentation for the future.
  2. Repairs
    1. While making verbal repair requests is important, it is better to document the request in writing.
    2. We also suggest that you take pictures of repairs needed, for further documentation.
    3. If your landlord is not making repairs and you live in a legal unit, you should contact the Department of Building Inspection. If you do not live in a legal unit, we suggest tackling the issue by requesting repairs in writing and filing a petition with the SF Rent Board.
  3. Privacy
    1. A landlord must give you written notice BEFORE coming to your unit for whatever reason.
    2. Surveillance cameras, if installed, cannot be inside your private space but can be installed in common areas of a property.
  4. Harassment
    1. You have the right to peaceful enjoyment in your unit/house without a Landlord’s verbal aggression and intimidation; this is a form of tenant harassment and illegal.
    2. You don’t have to talk to your landlord.
    3. We recommend documenting any forms of harassment in writing and engaging in mediation when possible.
  5. Discrimination
    1. There are different types of discrimination.
    2. One of the most common is landlords asking about a tenant’s immigration status. This is against California State Law.
    3. A landlord cannot inquire about immigration status, or threaten to call immigration or police. If this happens, we recommend documenting the threat in writing and filing a complaint with the Human Rights Commission.
  6. Verbal evictions
    1. CA state law states that no verbal evictions are legal.
    2. All evictions must begin with a written notice – whether it’s by a landlord or master tenant.
    3. Only a Sheriff can physically remove a tenant and change the locks to their unit AFTER the tenant has lost their case in eviction court proceedings.
    4. It’s important that tenants document verbal evictions in writing and get proof of their tenancy by collecting rent receipts or other proof of payment.
  7. Verbal Rent Increases
    1. CA state law states that no verbal rent increases are legal.
    2. All rent increases must be done in writing by issuing a 30 day or 60 day notice of rent increase.
    3. Every year, the landlord can increase the rent.
    4. If your unit has rent control, it can only be increased by a certain percentage.
    5. For tenants who don’t have rent control, there’s no limit to what the landlord can increase.
  8. Buyouts
    1. Tenant buyout agreements are voluntary!
    2. You are never forced to sell your tenant rights in exchange for money.
    3. Many tenants who are offered buyouts have protections against evictions and rent control.
    4. We recommend informing yourself on all of your tenant rights and consulting a tenant attorney prior to entering into any buyout agreement with your landlord or their attorney.
  9. Illegal Units
    1. Tenants living in unpermitted or illegal units have the same tenant rights as everyone else; this includes those rooms/units in the garage, attic, or backyard being used for residential purposes.
    2. There are some issues that require more time and creativity to resolve.
    3. For example, in repair cases, we caution against calling the Department of Building Inspections and suggest tackling the issue by requesting repairs in writing and filing a petition with the SF Rent Board.
  10.  Mediation
    1. Many tenants share space with other tenants and have issues such as sharing utility costs or chores;
    2. in those instances, we recommend trying to mediate those problems with your neighbors and/or landlord. The Rent Board, Conflict Intervention Services, and Community Boards are three agencies that provide mediation services in San Francisco.

 

Español

¿Te enfrentas al desalojo? ¡Todavía tienes derechos!

Los desalojos han aumentado y seguirán aumentando a medida que las protecciones estatales de alquiler se vuelvan casi obsoletas a fines de marzo.

La moratoria de desalojo en todo el estado terminó en septiembre de 2021, y las protecciones estatales de alquiler están llegando a su fin el 31 de marzo. Si bien ambos programas ofrecieron ayuda temporal, no ofrecieron soluciones permanentes y tangibles a los inquilinos que han soportado la peor parte de las pérdidas económicas relacionadas con la pandemia.

No salga de su casa, y no firme ningún documento hasta que usted busque consejo de un consejero del inquilino. Si usted recibe un Detenedor Ilegal, por favor comuníquese con el Lo antes posible. Colaborativo de Defensa de Desalojo (Eviction Defense Collaborative)  para obtener ayuda:

Aunque estas protecciones específicas de COVID-19 pueden no estar ya en el nivel estatal, es importante recordar que los inquilinos en SF tienen derechos! Si usted está experimentando acoso o presión por parte del dueño, o miedo a que usted pueda ser desalojado, hay grupos de derechos de inquilinos que pueden ofrecer ayuda.

“No te vayas de tu casa hasta que te enfrentes a un juez. Solicite ayuda legal y llame a una línea directa del inquilino tan pronto como pueda. Estamos en una crisis de desalojos en este momento. Sólo un juez y un alguacil pueden desalojarlo “, dice Lourdes Alarcon, organizadora de derechos y consejera de inquilinos en Causa Justa.

Usted tiene derechos y agencia para su hogar y su calidad de vida. Si siente que alguno de estos derechos ha sido violado por su arrendador, la lista de organizaciones anterior ofrecen el apoyo en San Francisco para la aplicación del código, desalojos, reparaciones, acoso y derechos de los inquilinos.

 

<
>