Committee backs ordinance to extend commercial eviction protections to businesses with 50–99 employees

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors Budget and Finance Committee on July 28 recommended that the full Board approve an ordinance that would expand commercial eviction protections to businesses with 50 to 99 full‑time employees.

Supervisor Ash Safaie, who introduced the ordinance, said it would amend the Administrative Code to create a six‑month forbearance period for that size category and authorize the Office of Economic and Workforce Development to create incentive programs to encourage landlords and tenants to agree to repayment plans. "This ordinance would amend the administrative code to extend eviction protections to businesses with 50 to 99 employees," Safaie said.

Manish Guel of OEWD told the committee the office supports the expansion and has conducted outreach and webinars to help businesses and landlords negotiate. He said the ordinance is intended to be paired with a planned small business rent relief fund that would condition assistance on parties negotiating repayment. "We are supportive of this amendment that allows our office to create incentive programs ... conditioning eligibility to these programs on both parties coming to some agreement," Guel said.

Committee members clarified timing and tiers. OEWD staff said protections are measured from the end of the statewide eviction moratorium (Sept. 30, 2021): the smallest businesses would receive two years of protection, the next tier 18 months, larger small businesses one year, and the added 50–99 employee tier would receive six additional months from Sept. 30, 2021. "So an additional six months from that," OEWD staff confirmed.

Supervisor Gordon Mar praised the proposal and the plan to use assistance to require landlords to negotiate as a precondition of receiving relief, while committee members and staff acknowledged that available grant funding will not fully cover the estimated need.

There were no public callers on the item. Chair Matt Haney moved the ordinance to the full Board with a positive recommendation; the committee recorded three ayes and Supervisor Marr asked to be added as a cosponsor. The measure will next be considered by the full Board of Supervisors.