Selling San Francisco MF

[Rob B.]

I have a friend who wants to sell their triplex in San Francisco, but they have two long term tenants who have been there and because of rent control, they have a hard time asking them to leave. I've never worked in rent controlled cities, so I don't know how it works. They live in one unit and rent out the other two, so I'm hoping to clear out at least one unit so that it can be sold easier. Any suggestions? One of the tenants has more people living there than are on the lease, so that should be grounds to evict. The upstairs one has been there for sixteen years and is only paying $1,150/Mo for a 2/1, 900 sq ft. 

[Dale Shin]

Here in Los Angeles, we have rent control as well but probably with some differences from SF.  The rules here do allow for an owner to have a tenant move out if the owner (or family member) plans to live in the unit.  This does require paying the tenant a hefty relocation fee however.  Your friends could just leave the tenants the way there are as a property already 2/3 rented might appear more attractive to the next buyer.

But to accomplish what you want, serving notice to the tenant violating the occupancy limit and filing for eviction if they do not comply sounds like a good start.  As for the other long term tenant, the rent control will protect him, as long as he remains in good standing.