As mentioned this morning, Senator Mark Leno hoped to keep his revisions to the 28-year-old Ellis Act alive, and as of late this afternoon it looks like he's done it. The bill that failed in a State Senate vote yesterday by a margin of one vote passed today with a 21-13 vote thanks to some last-minute promises Leno has made to amend the bill before it comes back to the Senate for a final vote. The exceptions have to do with mom-and-pop landlords who own one or two properties, and there may be a sunset date applied to the law as well.
Leno conceded that once the amendments are written, the Senate may still vote to reject to the law. But for now, it's moving on to the Assembly.
The bill will require owners of rental properties to have owned those properties for at least five years before invoking the Ellis Act, a law that is expected to curtail rampant real estate speculation in San Francisco.
Talking to reporters late today, Leno said he rejected the idea that San Francisco wasn't building enough housing an objection voiced by at least a couple Southern California Senators who objected to the bill. "There are 37 cranes in the air in San Francisco right now," Leno said. "The joke is the official bird of San Francisco is the crane."
