Huge SF landlord under legal fire over units used as tourist rentals

[KamaAina]

http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Huge-landlord-under-legal-fire-over-units-used-as-6491721.php

City Attorney Dennis Herrera is turning the heat up on Trinity Properties, the developer of the 1,900-unit apartment complex under construction at Market and Eighth streets.

A month after filing a lawsuit accusing Trinity of using rent-controlled apartments as tourist accommodations, Herrera on Tuesday formally subpoenaed documents related to the case.

Herrera claims that Trinity Management, led by 88-year-old builder Angelo Sangiacomo, has illegally master-leased a block of 16 rent-controlled units at 1188 Mission St. to Lumi Worldwide, a San Francisco firm that offers “spacious and fully furnished apartments that stand apart from the standard hotel experience.”

All 16 units are subject to rent control, Herrera said in a statement. In addition, Lumi — which has marketed the units as the SOMA Suites Hotel — is master leasing another seven units at 1190 Mission St. While those units are not subject to rent control, marketing them for use by short-term tourists or business travelers violates the development agreement Trinity signed when the project was approved in 2007.

[arcane1]

1. This is getting crazy. It feels like every day there is a new story like this.

indeed!

[daredtowork]

2. AirBNB is running a commercial to escape regulation in SF

That commercial is infuriating because it conveys ths same list of points that supposedly small time "homesharers" bamboozled Berkeley's City Council with. Their points were obviously being fed by an organized lobbying effort, but our leaders refused to see it even when one proposed (illegally) to build a new AirBNB cottage in her back yard. The Mayor had previously shushed aattempts to make the point that's what new cottage construction would be used for.

[mackerel]

3. At least Herrera is trying to do something about it. Head in the stand for the rest of the rental

atrocities in SF.

[olddots]

4. I'd like to see slum lord's pictures

on the back of milk cartons .