The owners of 639 Geary Street issued letters last month to 33 low-income tenants informing them that their rents were going to be raised to market rates after more than 20 years of being rent-controlled units. The city helped subsidize the development back in 1988 with the condition that 20 percent of the units in the building would be kept affordable — an agreement the landlord says expired in April of this year. In truly classy fashion, they wasted no time in informing all 33 of their less fortunate tenants that their rents would be promptly raised beyond their means. City Attorney Dennis Herrera is now stepping in to get a judge to rescind the rent increases until this can get worked out. more ›

Even with Newsom lapcat Bevan Duffy supporting part of Chris Daly's Renter Relief Package, the mayor still vetoed what might have provided a modicum of financial relief for SF renters. (As opposed to, say, homeowners who have seen some help from the government during the recession.) Ted Gullicksen of the San Francisco Tenant’s Union had this to say about Newsom's veto. more ›