Cal. Civ. Code § 1947.9
California Civil Code
Operative Text
(a) (1) Notwithstanding any local law to the contrary, for those units governed by the local rent stabilization ordinance in the City and County of San Francisco, levels of compensation for the temporary displacement of a tenant household for less than 20 days shall be limited to both of the following: (A) Temporary housing and living expenses, of two hundred seventy-five dollars ($275) per day per tenant household. This limit may be adjusted annually by the city and county in an amount equal to the Consumer Price Index, beginning on January 1, 2014. (B) Actual moving expenses if it is necessary to move the possessions of the tenant household. (2) The landlord shall have the option to provide a comparable dwelling unit and pay any actual moving expenses, in lieu of the compensation specified in subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1). The rental housing shall be comparable to the tenant household’s existing housing in location, size, number of bedrooms, accessibility, type, and quality of construction, and proximity to services and institutions upon which the displaced tenant household depends. (b) This section shall not be construed to do any of the following: (1) To terminate, interrupt, or amend, in any way, a tenancy subject to the lease provisions, or the rights and obligations of either party, including, but not limited to, the payment of rent. (2) To create or affect any grounds for displacement or requirements of a landlord seeking temporary displacement, except the payment of relocation fees pursuant to subdivision (a) for displacement not exceeding 20 days. (3) To affect the authority of a public entity that may regulate or monitor the basis for eviction. (c) If a federal or state law regarding relocation compensation is also applicable to the temporary displacement, the tenant may elect to be compensated under those other provisions, and subdivision (a) shall be inapplicable. (d) This section shall affect only levels of compensation for a temporary displacement of less than 20 days, and does not affect any other local procedures governing temporary relocation.
Cal. Civ. Code § 1947.9 sets a cap on the daily compensation a landlord must pay when a San Francisco rent-stabilized tenant is temporarily displaced for fewer than 20 days, starting at $275 per day per household (subject to annual CPI adjustment) plus actual moving costs if possessions must be moved. As an alternative, the landlord may instead provide a comparable dwelling unit and cover actual moving expenses. The provision does not alter the underlying tenancy, create new grounds for displacement, or affect other local relocation procedures beyond setting these compensation limits.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1947.9, operators of San Francisco rent-stabilized units who temporarily displace a tenant household for under 20 days generally either pay the CPI-adjusted daily rate plus actual moving costs, or arrange a comparable replacement unit and cover moving expenses. Compliant operators document the comparability of any substitute housing across factors such as location, size, accessibility, and proximity to services the household relies on. The tenant's rent obligations and lease terms remain unchanged throughout the displacement period.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Cal. Civ. Code § 1947.9 establishes the minimum compensation you are owed if you are temporarily displaced from a San Francisco rent-stabilized unit for fewer than 20 days — either a daily payment (currently CPI-adjusted from the $275 baseline) plus moving costs, or a comparable replacement unit with moving costs covered. If a federal or state relocation law also applies to your situation, you may have the option to elect compensation under those other provisions instead. Tenants who believe these standards have not been met can raise a violation with the San Francisco Rent Board or consult a tenant-rights organization for general information about available paths.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated September 3, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
Effective Timeline
References Out
No outbound references recorded yet for this provision.
References In
Rules and statutes that cite this regulation