Mayor Lurie Signs Legislation Protecting Renters From Unwarranted Evictions, Hidden Rental Fees

SAN FRANCISCO – Mayor Daniel Lurie today signed two pieces of legislation that will protect renters amid the rent emergency that is driving up evictions and the cost of living for many San Franciscans. One ordinance, authored by District 9 Supervisor Jackie Fielder and a key component of Mayor Lurie’s rent package announced in September, protects renters from being evicted for falling just a bit behind on their rent. The No Hidden Rent Act, authored by District 5 Supervisor Bilal Mahmood, requires landlords to disclose the full monthly cost of renting in online listings and lease agreements, helping renters understand the true cost before signing a lease.

These new laws build on Mayor Lurie’s Family Opportunity Agenda and his administration’s work to help people put down roots in San Francisco. With a significant expansion of childcare assistance, Mayor Lurie is making San Francisco the first major city in the country where every family with children under five has access to childcare. Through his Family Zoning plan and a major investment proposed for affordable housing, the city is driving new housing creation so San Franciscans can afford to raise their kids in the city. Mayor Lurie has also made significant investments in keeping families housed, launching the Family Homelessness Prevention Pilot last year and then making key investments in this year’s city budget, including $120 million in homelessness prevention and legal services and $100 million for a new reserve to prepare for potential federal cuts to health and homelessness services.

“As we build more housing to make San Francisco more affordable for the future, we are also taking urgent action to keep people in their homes today,” said Mayor Lurie. “San Franciscans deserve to know what they’ll pay for a home and have a fair chance to stay in it. That’s why, in partnership with Supervisors Fielder and Mahmood, we are protecting renters from losing their homes if they fall behind by less than one month of rent and making sure they know the true total cost of rent before signing a lease. These are important steps in our ongoing work to address the city’s rent emergency and help San Franciscans put down roots here, and I want to thank the supervisors for their leadership.”

As rents have climbed, San Francisco is on pace to see its highest number of evictions in nearly a decade. Supervisor Fielder’s legislation establishes a minimum threshold for evictions based on unpaid rent: Landlords cannot evict tenants for nonpayment unless the amount owed reaches at least one month of fair market rent, as determined by the federal government. The law is the first component of Mayor Lurie’s rent package to be signed.

“I am grateful to all of my colleagues and the mayor for supporting this legislation. Thank you to the Anti-Displacement Coalition for working with me on this ordinance, as it will prevent many San Franciscans from being evicted into homelessness for struggling to keep up on nominal amounts of outstanding rent,” said Supervisor Fielder. “This gives tenants much needed breathing room as we continue to work to make San Francisco more affordable for all.”

“We are already seeing the consequences of the AI boom on tenants across the city. As the median rent for a one-bedroom approaches $4,500 a month, and Wall Street-backed speculators exploit loopholes to drive out long-term tenants, it is more important than ever that we keep seniors and working families in their homes,” said Meg Heisler, Anti-Displacement Coalition Policy Director. “This legislation will provide many tenants the breathing room they need to stay on track and in their homes.”

The No Hidden Rent Act addresses another challenge facing renters: unexpected fees that increase the actual cost of housing beyond the advertised rent. The law requires rental listings and leases to prominently disclose the full regular monthly cost a tenant is expected to pay. It also prevents evictions over fees that were not clearly disclosed in the lease. The disclosure requirements apply to both rent-controlled and rent-exempt units.

“Finding an apartment in San Francisco that fits your budget is hard enough. Renters already face uncertainty and bidding wars that can push the final price beyond what they can afford. The bare minimum is knowing the true cost upfront,” said Supervisor Mahmood. “The No Hidden Rent Act requires landlords to clearly disclose the full monthly cost in rental listings and leases, so renters can make informed decisions before signing, and protects them from eviction over fees that were never properly disclosed.”

“Eviction should always be a last resort, not the consequence of a minor dispute or a hidden fee a tenant never knew existed. These two pieces of legislation provide critical protections against unnecessary displacement, allowing landlords and tenants to resolve issues before they escalate into eviction proceedings,” said Gail Gilman, Eviction Defense Collaborative Executive Director. “At the Eviction Defense Collaborative, our mission is to stop homelessness before it starts, and these protections will help us keep more San Franciscans housed. These laws recognize that housing stability matters and give tenants a fairer opportunity to remain in their homes. This is exactly the kind of upstream prevention we champion.”