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New Tenants' Rights Legislation Introduced By SF Board Of Supervisors

SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS)— Legislation was introduced for consideration at the San Francisco Board of Supervisors Tuesay to help tenants who are harassed into moving by their landlords. Tenants' activists claim it's a growing problem in the city's increasingly tight rental market.

With rents climbing some landlords are making lives miserable for tenants they can't legally evict. At least that's the belief of Supervisor Christina Olague who has introduced legislation to give tenants new tools to fight harassment.

"Our goal is to protect tenants from bullying, intimidation and harassment," Olague said.

Voters approved Prop M in 2008 to protect tenants from harassment, but key provisions were struck down by the courts.

Ted Gullicksen of the San Francisco Tenants Union said the problem is only getting worse.

KCBS' Barbara Taylor Reports:

"Some of the stuff we see and tenants getting eviction notices every month for non-payment of rent when they've paid the rent, utilities being shut off. Constant construction, walls being torn down but not being put back up," he said rattling off a list.

The new legislation would allow the city's rent board to consider harassment an unjust eviction and give tenant the right to seek damages up to $2,000 in small claims court.

(Copyright 2012 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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