San Francisco supervisor proposes limit on evictions for unpaid rent

San Francisco Supervisor Jackie Fielder has introduced legislation to restrict evictions for tenants who owe less than one month of rent. The proposal, which is co-sponsored by five supervisors and supported by Mayor Daniel Lurie, seeks to amend the city’s current Rent Ordinance. Currently, landlords can initiate eviction proceedings for any amount of unpaid rent, regardless of how small.

The proposed law would set the eviction threshold based on federal “fair market rent” figures provided annually by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. For 2026, these figures in San Francisco are $2,485 for a studio, $2,977 for a one-bedroom, and $3,604 for a two-bedroom unit. Fielder stated the measure is intended to “provide renters some breathing room in the midst of unprecedented affordability and housing crises.”

The initiative comes as San Francisco faces rising rents and a nearly 10% increase in evictions over the past year. The Eviction Defense Collaborative noted that approximately one-quarter of evictions in a recent sample were for nonpayment amounts below the fair market rent. Similar policies have already been adopted in Los Angeles, Oakland, and Berkeley.