Tenant Displacement Due to Fire or Other Disaster in San Francisco

For questions about compensation or relocation payments please contact a community partner in our Rent Board Referral Listing or speak with an attorney.

Rent Board Rules and Regulations

Section 12.19 - Other Displacements

If a tenant is forced to vacate her/his unit due to fire or other disaster, the landlord shall, within 30 days of completion of repairs to the unit, offer the same unit to that tenant under the same terms and conditions as existed prior to her/his displacement. The landlord’s offer shall be sent to the address provided by the tenant.

If the tenant has not provided an address, the offer shall be sent to the unit from which the tenant was displaced and to any other address of the tenant of which the landlord has actual knowledge, including electronic mail (e-mail) addresses.

The tenant shall have 30 days from receipt of the landlord's offer to notify the landlord of acceptance or rejection of the offer and, if accepted, shall reoccupy the unit within 45 days of receipt of the landlord's offer.

However, the cost of capital improvements which are necessary before rerenting a unit which was damaged or destroyed, which cost was not reimbursed by insurance proceeds or by any other means (such as a satisfied judgment) may be passed through to the tenant by utilization of the capital improvement petition process.

Any rent increase under this section would require that a notice be served upon the tenant(s) pursuant to Civil Code Section 827.

The landlord who attempts to re-rent a unit, but refuses to allow a tenant to return to her/his home under this section shall have wrongfully endeavored to recover or wrongfully recovered said tenant's rental unit in violation of Section 37.9 of the Ordinance and shall be liable to the displaced tenants for actual and punitive damages. This remedy shall be in addition to any other remedy available to the tenant under the Rent Ordinance.

Disaster Services

Learn about Emergency Services for Fire Damage.

Good Samaritan Tenancy Information

Good Samaritan Tenancy Information

If a tenant’s rental unit is in such an unsafe or unhealthy condition following a fire, earthquake, landslide, or similar emergency situation that the tenant cannot and should not reside there, the tenant may be able to rent a temporary replacement unit at a reduced rent rate using Good Samaritan Status.

Displaced Tenant Housing Preference (DTHP)

Learn about the Displaced Tenant Housing Preference (DTHP)

The Displaced Tenant Housing Preference (DTHP) offers tenants displaced in San Francisco by no-fault eviction, fire, unaffordable rent due to expiring affordability restrictions or displaced from unlawful residential units a preference in affordable housing lotteries.

Preferences are programs that give San Francisco residents and workers a better chance at getting housing.

A DTHP certificate may be used once to rent or once to buy a San Francisco City sponsored affordable housing opportunity.