S.F. Police Code Article 49 § 4912
HOUSING PROVIDER RECORDS (San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance)
Operative Text
(a) A Housing Provider shall maintain and retain records of tenant application forms, and other pertinent data and records required under this Article, for a period of three years, and shall allow the HRC access to such records, with appropriate notice and at a mutually agreeable time, to monitor compliance with the requirements of this Article. (b) A Housing Provider shall provide information to the HRC, or the HRC's designee, on an annual basis as may be required to verify the Housing Provider's compliance with this Article. (c) In no event shall the HRC require a Housing Provider to provide any information or documents the disclosure of which would violate state or federal law. (d) Where a Housing Provider does not maintain or retain adequate records documenting compliance with this Article or does not allow the HRC reasonable access to such records, it shall be presumed that the Housing Provider did not comply with this Article, absent clear and convincing evidence otherwise. The Office of Treasurer and Tax Collector shall have the authority to provide any and all nonfinancial information to the HRC necessary to fulfill the HRC's responsibilities as the enforcing agency under this Article. With regard to all such information provided by the Office of Treasurer and Tax Collector, the HRC shall be subject to the confidentiality provisions of Subsection (a) of Section 6.22-1 of the San Francisco Business and Tax Regulations Code. (e) Pursuant to its rulemaking authority under this Article, the HRC shall adopt rules that establish procedures for Housing Providers to maintain and retain accurate records and to provide annual reporting of compliance to the HRC in a manner that does not require disclosure of any information that would violate State or Federal privacy laws.
San Francisco Police Code Article 49 § 4912 establishes recordkeeping and reporting obligations for housing providers operating under Article 49. Housing providers must keep tenant application forms and other required records for at least three years and make them available to the Human Rights Commission (HRC) for compliance monitoring. If a housing provider fails to maintain adequate records or denies the HRC reasonable access, the law presumes non-compliance unless the provider can demonstrate otherwise with clear and convincing evidence. The HRC is also required to adopt rules ensuring these reporting procedures do not compel disclosure of information that would violate state or federal privacy laws.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under S.F. Police Code Article 49 § 4912, compliant housing providers generally maintain organized files of tenant application forms and all other Article 49-required records for a minimum of three years. Operators typically cooperate with HRC access requests by arranging mutually agreeable inspection times and submitting any annual compliance reports the HRC requires. Because § 4912(d) creates a presumption of non-compliance when records are missing or inaccessible, maintaining thorough and well-organized documentation is a core operational practice for housing providers subject to this Article.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
S.F. Police Code Article 49 § 4912 gives the San Francisco Human Rights Commission (HRC) the authority to monitor whether housing providers are meeting their Article 49 obligations by reviewing records and requiring annual compliance reports. If a housing provider cannot produce adequate records or refuses the HRC reasonable access, the law presumes that the provider was not in compliance—a protection that can be relevant when a tenant believes their rights under Article 49 were violated. Tenants who have concerns about a housing provider's compliance with Article 49 may consider contacting the HRC directly, reaching out to a local tenant-rights organization, or exploring whether a complaint with the HRC is an appropriate step.
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 12, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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