S.F. Admin. Code ch. 37 § 37.4

Establishment; Appointment; Terms; Executive Director; Funding; Compensation (San Francisco Rent Ordinance)

In Force
Verified 10/27/2026 · Next check 11/3/2026
San FranciscoRent Stabilization

Operative Text

S.F. Admin. Code ch. 37 § 37.4
(a) There is hereby established a board to be known as the San Francisco Residential Rent Stabilization and Arbitration Board (hereinafter called “Board”), consisting of five members. The Board is a Commission as defined in Section 5.1-1 of this Code. Regular members, each of whom shall have a specific alternate having the same qualifications as the regular member, shall serve at the pleasure of the Mayor. All regular members and alternate members shall be appointed by the Mayor.

(b) The Board shall consist of two landlords, two tenants, and one person who is neither a landlord nor a tenant and who owns no residential rental property; and an alternate for each specific member. All members shall be residents of the City. If one of the two regular landlord members is unavailable to vote, that regular member’s specific alternate shall be seated and vote, and if that regular member’s specific alternate is also unavailable to vote, the other landlord alternate shall (if available) be seated and vote as a substitute alternate. If one of the two regular tenant members is unavailable to vote, that regular member’s specific alternate shall be seated and vote, and if that regular member’s specific alternate is also unavailable to vote, the other tenant alternate shall (if available) be seated and vote as a substitute alternate.

(c) In accordance with applicable State law, all members shall disclose all present holdings and interests in real property, including interests in corporations, trusts or other entities with real property holdings.

(d) All members shall be appointed by the Mayor to serve 48-month terms. All vacancies occurring during a term shall be filled for the unexpired term.

(e) The Board shall elect a Chairman and Vice-Chairman from among its regular members.

(f) The Executive Director of the Board shall have the powers and duties set forth in Charter Section 4.126 . The Board shall submit to the Mayor at least three qualified applicants, and if rejected, shall make additional nominations in the same manner, for the position of Executive Director, subject to appointment by the Mayor; and may in its discretion remove the Executive Director. All staff personnel shall be under the immediate direction and supervision of the Executive Director.

(g) Pursuant to the budgetary and fiscal provisions of the Charter, the Board of Supervisors shall provide funds to pay for staff personnel, services and facilities as may be reasonably necessary to enable the Board to exercise its powers and perform its duties under this Chapter. A special fund to be known as the Residential Rent Stabilization and Arbitration Fund shall be established under the supervision and direction of the Board for the receipt of fees under Chapter 37A , such fees to be appropriated by the Board of Supervisors for the operation of the Board.

(h) Subject to the budgetary and fiscal limitations of the Charter, each member shall be paid $75 per Board meeting attended if the meeting lasts for six hours or more in a single 24-hour period. The Board shall adopt rules to allow for payment of an equitable portion of this per diem if a meeting lasts less than six hours. The total per diem shall not exceed $750 per month. In addition, each member may receive reimbursement for actual expenses incurred in the course and scope of the member’s duties.
Source: Legislative text reproduced verbatim
Plain English

Section 37.1 and 37.4 of the San Francisco Administrative Code establish the San Francisco Residential Rent Stabilization and Arbitration Board as a five-member body composed of two landlords, two tenants, and one neutral party who owns no residential rental property. Members and their designated alternates are appointed by the Mayor to 48-month terms and must be San Francisco residents who disclose their real property interests. The Board is funded through a combination of city appropriations and fees collected under Chapter 37A, and members receive a modest per-diem of up to $75 per qualifying meeting, capped at $750 per month.

Written by anthropic/claude-sonnet-4.6 · Reviewed on October 15, 2026

Plain English — not legal advice.

For Property Managers

Under S.F. Admin. Code § 37.1 and § 37.4, two of the five Board seats are specifically designated for landlords, meaning property owners have direct representation in the body that oversees rent stabilization policy and arbitration in San Francisco. Landlord members and their alternates are appointed by the Mayor and must be city residents who publicly disclose their real property holdings and interests. Operators subject to the Rent Ordinance generally stay informed about Board composition and meeting schedules, as Board decisions can directly affect how rent regulations are interpreted and administered.

General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.

For Tenants

S.F. Admin. Code § 37.1 and § 37.4 guarantee that two of the five seats on the San Francisco Residential Rent Stabilization and Arbitration Board are held by tenants, ensuring tenant perspectives are represented in the body that oversees rent stabilization and arbitration proceedings. The Board's structure—including alternates and substitution rules—is designed to maintain balanced representation even when a member is unavailable. Tenants who have concerns about rent-related matters can engage with the San Francisco Rent Stabilization and Arbitration Board directly, attend public meetings, or consult a tenant-rights organization to understand how the Board's processes may be relevant to their situation.

General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.

Generated October 15, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.

Effective Timeline

Expression #1
Jan 20, 2020
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References Out

Rules and statutes cited by this regulation

Cal. Civ. Code § 5.1
Not yet ingested
Cal. Civ. Code § 4.126
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References In

No inbound references recorded yet for this provision.

Related Rules

§ 151.19
REVIEW OF ORDINANCE
§ 5
Housing accommodations subject to regulation
§ 5-A
High income rent deregulation

Source Information

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