Laws and Regulations Blog

SF Rent Board Announces Annual Rent Increase

Posted On: Tuesday, January 31, 2012 - 6:07am | Posted by: Diane Hourany
Tags: annual rent increase, landlords, rent board, rent-controlled properties

Every year, the SF Rent Board calculates the amount landlords can increase rent on rent-controlled properties. Effective March 1, 2012 through February 28, 2013, the allowable annual increase amount is 1.9 percent.

Carbon Monoxide Detectors Required Starting July 1

Posted On: Tuesday, June 21, 2011 - 5:58am | Posted by: Diane Hourany
Tags: california state law, carbon monoxide detectors, fireplace, heat source, permitted work

As of July 1, all single family homes in the state of California will be required to have carbon monoxide detectors; condos and other buildings by January 1, 2013.  It is recommended that they be installed on every level of your home.

8 Common Ways to Hold Title

Posted On: Friday, May 6, 2011 - 5:46am | Posted by: Diane Hourany
Tags: co-ownership, documents, ownership, sole ownership, title

One of the decisions you will need to make before you sign the documents to buy your home, is how you want to hold title to your property.  Below is some guidance for you (courtesy of Chicago Title Co.), but please consult with your tax adviser or accountant, as everyone's situation is different.

Homeowner Tax Deductions: It's Not Too Late!

Posted On: Wednesday, April 13, 2011 - 3:54pm | Posted by: Diane Hourany
Tags: credits, debt, deductions, first time home buyer, home buyer, home-equity, interest, mortgage, points, tax tips, taxes

If you haven't completed your 2010 taxes yet and are looking for ways to reduce your liability, this article by SF Chronicle writer Kathleen Pender gives some good tips you may not have known about. 

Is the Mortgage Interest Tax Deduction in Jeopardy?

Posted On: Friday, March 25, 2011 - 1:23pm | Posted by: Diane Hourany
Tags: congress, legislation, MID, mortgage deduction, tax benefit, tax break, taxe

Long taken for granted as a right of home-ownership, the ability to deduct the interest homeowners pay on their mortgage may disappear or be weakened as congress looks at terminating or scaling it back.  Is it time? Do you think homeowners should be favored with this benefit?

The 8 Most Common TIC Disputes

Posted On: Tuesday, March 8, 2011 - 6:00am | Posted by: Eileen Bermingham
Tags: goldstein gellman, TICs

The waiting time for condo conversion has lengthened from three or five years to more than 20 years over the past two decades. That’s a lot of waiting time for TIC owners who have gotten involved in shared ownership and its risks, thinking the arrangement would only be temporary. And unfortunately, some such owners have experienced their share of unexpected disputes among TIC partners. 

I thought it would be a good time to round up the most

Can I Turn Two Units into a Single-Family Home?

Posted On: Thursday, January 20, 2011 - 6:00am | Posted by: Eileen Bermingham
Tags: removal of dwellings

How easy it may be to convert a two-unit building into a single-family home with permits was a topic of discussion among my colleagues last week. As I've pondered this question for my own two-unit property, I thought there might be homeowners out there who are also curious about the possibilities.

The short answer: It's a real challenge to get permission from the city for this sort of transformation. This is because the city ultimately does not want to lose housing

The Virtues of the 2 Unit Building

Posted On: Monday, November 15, 2010 - 2:32pm | Posted by: Joe Theisen
Tags: 3 unit, affordable, condo conversion, condo lottery, inexpensive, multi unit, partner, property class, SF multi-unit, value lower, value upper

As you may recall, I wrote last time about my enthusiasm for 3 unit buildings.  However, I am only slightly less in love with SF’s numerous duplexes. 

How American Homes Became Sweet -- "At Home" by Bill Bryson

Posted On: Friday, October 8, 2010 - 10:35am | Posted by: Kevin Feather
Tags: books, history, tips

A new book about how America's humble dwellings were transformed through the centuries into our present day homes is both fascinating and also funny.  Author Bill Bryson's "At Home: A Short History of Private Life" takes each room of his own home and weaves a tale of how nutrition influened the kitchen and the Victorian sense of "punishment" promoted the act of bathing.  I don't think you'll view your home in

Are Vacation Rentals Doomed?

Posted On: Friday, August 13, 2010 - 10:18am | Posted by: Diane Hourany
Tags: building department, hotel tax, vacation rentals

Although the city is happy to collect the lucrative hotel tax on vacation rentals, a 30 year old ordinance makes it illegal to rent housing for less than 30 days unless approved by the building department. Supervisor David Chiu hopes to go after those unauthorized vacation rentals in order to increase housing for residents. Read more about it here.