Impact of the Ellis Act in San Francisco

As San Francisco real estate rates have soared in recent years, landlords have increasingly invoked a state law called the Ellis Act. Enacted in 1986, the law allows them to take their properties off the rental market and legally evict all tenants, generally with the intent of selling the units. This chart shows San Francisco's Ellis Act evictions since 1998, comparing rates with all no-fault evictions (including Ellis but also due to capital improvements, demolition, owner move-in or substantial rehabilitation) in the city during that same period. The chart also shows all for-cause evictions, in which tenants violated rental agreements. The chart is overlaid with San Francisco median home price rates. Use the drop-down menus to change the variables, and mouse over the bars to see eviction numbers by year. Full article →