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San Francisco landlord leads eco-friendly renovation while safeguarding tenants

A San Francisco landlord is testing how green retrofits can enhance comfort without displacing low-income tenants, amid concerns that citywide efforts could raise rents and push out residents.

Audrey Mei Yi Brown reports for San Francisco Public Press.

In short:

Amparo Vigil, a landlord in the Mission District, is retrofitting her building with eco-friendly upgrades to manage rising temperatures.
Tenant advocates fear such renovations could lead to higher rents or evictions if landlords pass retrofit costs to tenants.
The city is exploring safeguards to prevent displacement as it pursues its net-zero emissions goal by 2040.

Key quote:

“Low-income tenants are in a precarious position, and we don’t want upgrades to lead to ‘reno-victions.’”

— Antonio Díaz, organizational director, PODER

Why this matters:

As San Francisco pushes for greener buildings, protecting low-income tenants from rent hikes and evictions becomes crucial to prevent exacerbating the city’s housing crisis.

Related EHN coverage:

www.sfpublicpress.org

San Francisco landlord leads eco-friendly renovation while safeguarding tenants

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