Using an Inner Richmond apartment and a Craigslist ad as bait, Rachael Marie Smith, 29, bilked potential renters out of thousands of dollars each "by accepting their deposits and then spinning a tale that they couldn't move in for a while because her mother had cancer, police said Thursday," SFGate reports. Many of her alleged victims signed leases with Smith, giving her $5,600 checks for the deposit. (Frizz-Ease doesn't come cheap, folks.) If you were defrauded by Smith, victims are asked to call Inspector John Monroe at 415-553-1936.

New laws proposed and authored by City Supervisors Eric Mar and Chris Daly last fall and receiving their final votes yesterday would make it illegal for landlords to a) impose banked rent increases, in which allowable percent increases are saved up and imposed all at once; b) evict families with children under existing owner move-in provisions; c) increase a tenant's rent to more than 1/3 of their income; d) increase rents for tenants who have lost their jobs, whose income has fallen 20%, or whose sole income is from government assistance. Though we are not property owners and wonder about the constitutionality of all this, it all sounds relatively reasonable to us -- especially since landlords shouldn't be raising rents in a shitty economy anyway. But certainly this all would make it extra-impossible for any landlord ever to get rid of any tenant for any reason. Supes Mirkarimi, Chiu, Avalos and Campos joined in supporting the proposals, most of which are expected to be vetoed by Mayor Newsom.

UPDATE: The Appeal clarifies the specifics of the voting. None of the proposed laws received a veto-proof 8 votes.

There have been four new laws proposed this year that would make it harder for landlords to raise rents and evict tenants. Three of the laws would increase the rights of rent-controlled tenants by allowing them to add roommates and by suspending or limiting rent increases that are a hardship. The fourth law would give eviction protection to tenants in non-rent-controlled units, specifically homes that are being foreclosed.

As noted in SF Gate's comments, the irony is that if it weren't for rent control and the strict eviction laws already in place, landlords often wouldn't have to foreclose. They have to pay their bills too. Additionally, there's still no protection for master tenants who end up with deadbeat roommates, who can't be lawfully evicted. Personally, we've always had awesome and sympathetic landlords, who were willing to work with us when needed. It pays to be a good judge of character from the get-go. How about you, readers, what's your input on this hot issue?