Each San Francisco guide answers one question — eviction, deposit, repairs, rent, entry, habitability — with the local office and the California chapter. We do not invent a local deadline.
Rent Board first for covered units
Eviction grounds, allowable increases, and many petition processes for covered units run through the San Francisco Rent Board. Uncovered units still have California Civil Code rights. Guessing coverage is how people miss a petition deadline.
What if I got a notice in San Francisco?
Read it for a court name, a case number, or an appearance date. A landlord notice is usually a step. Court papers mean a case has been filed in San Francisco Superior Court — unlawful detainer. Date it, photograph every page, and call legal aid the same day if a court is named. Do not guess the deadline from a national chart.
What if the unit is not livable?
Write the problem, date it, and keep photos. Open a request with San Francisco Rent Board or dial 311. An inspector’s dated notice is often worth more later than unanswered texts. Rent withholding and repair-and-deduct are California questions — ask legal aid before you skip a payment.
What if the deposit did not come back?
The clock, the cap, and the itemization rules live mainly in California law. The San Francisco Rent Board is the local forum for covered units. Ask them whether your unit is under the Rent Ordinance. Gather the lease, move-out photos, the forwarding address you gave, and any deduction list, then open the California deposit page.
What if the rent went up?
A lease still in term is not the same as month-to-month. Whether San Francisco adds a local cap or just-cause rule is a coverage question — The San Francisco Rent Board is the local forum for covered units. Ask them whether your unit is under the Rent Ordinance. Keep the letter. Confirm the California chapter and the City office before you treat a percentage you saw online as the law.
What if they keep coming in without notice?
Entry rules in San Francisco start with California law and the lease. Emergencies, repairs, and showings are not always the same notice. Write the date and time. San Francisco Rent Board may take a complaint. This desk does not invent an hour-count.
What if heat, water, or the structure fails?
That is a habitability problem. Photograph it, write the date, and open a request with San Francisco Rent Board or 311. If it is dangerous tonight — a gas leak, no heat in winter, a collapsed ceiling — treat it as an emergency. Do not skip rent on a rumor.
Is my San Francisco unit under rent control?
The Rent Board administers rent control and just-cause for many — not all — San Francisco units. Coverage is a unit question. The Department of Building Inspection handles conditions. Those two doors are not the same. Ask the Rent Board about this address before you treat a percentage as the cap.
Who hears an eviction in San Francisco?
San Francisco Superior Court hears unlawful detainers. The Rent Board is not that court. A notice is a step. Court papers are same-day legal aid. Tenant counseling groups in the City are local doors, not this classroom.
Official San Francisco offices
The San Francisco Rent Board is the local forum for covered units. Ask them whether your unit is under the Rent Ordinance. The California chapter is California Civil Code — hiring of real property (Cal. Civ. Code §§ 1940 to 1954.06). We name it. We do not paraphrase a number out of it.
San Francisco renter questions
Can my landlord in San Francisco evict me without going to court?
No. Changing locks, shutting off utilities, or dumping belongings is not how possession is completed. San Francisco Superior Court — unlawful detainer is where those cases are heard. If the paper names a court, a case number, or an appearance date, call legal aid the same day. The San Francisco Rent Board is the local forum for covered units. Ask them whether your unit is under the Rent Ordinance.
How do I get my security deposit back in San Francisco?
Deposit caps, itemization, and return deadlines are usually California questions — sometimes with a city overlay. Photograph the unit, return keys the way the lease requires, and keep a forwarding address. Confirm the chapter on the California page. This desk does not reprint a dollar cap or a day-count.
Who inspects repairs in San Francisco?
San Francisco Rent Board is the local conditions door, and 311 is often how you open a request. Put the repair in writing first and keep photos. Do not skip rent on a rumor — ask legal aid before you change what you pay. The San Francisco Rent Board is the local forum for covered units. Ask them whether your unit is under the Rent Ordinance.
Does San Francisco have local rent rules on top of California?
The San Francisco Rent Board is the local forum for covered units. Ask them whether your unit is under the Rent Ordinance.
Is my San Francisco unit under rent control?
The Rent Board administers rent control and just-cause for many — not all — San Francisco units. Coverage is a unit question. The Department of Building Inspection handles conditions. Those two doors are not the same. Ask the Rent Board about this address before you treat a percentage as the cap.
Who hears an eviction in San Francisco?
San Francisco Superior Court hears unlawful detainers. The Rent Board is not that court. A notice is a step. Court papers are same-day legal aid. Tenant counseling groups in the City are local doors, not this classroom.
What number should I call in San Francisco?
Danger: 911. Mental-health crisis: 988. Local City services: 311. Court papers: LawHelp.org the same day. San Francisco Rent Board does not replace legal aid when a case is filed.
National answers on this desk
Last reviewed 8 September 2026. Legal information, not legal advice. Not a law firm. hello@renterprotection.org