SF has extremely vigilant city inspectors and an equally vigilant tenants advocacy agency.

.:-( http://www.self-sufficiency.org/index.php/housingtheir website says:Rapid Housing ServicesAll shelters and housing programs listed above strive to help residents find and secure permanent affordable housing through access to rental listings, advocacy with landlords, unit inspections, and move in assistance when possible.

And if you choose "wrongly", the specter of lawsuits initiated by tenant-advocacy groups and potentially the Federal Government could corner some landlords into costly defense cases in court.   

They are an organization focused on accessibility (support services, advocacy, etc) and have a Columbia office.

I understand there has been a debate between tenants advocacy groups and landlord / landlord associations over interpretation of the RTA and its deferral to Section 21 of the Human Rights Code.  

This is likely something you can do on your own, but you have to be very astute and cross every T, dot every I, and know the law well - these slimy 'tenant' advocacy firms will exploit even your tiniest error.

In most big cities you will find a tenant advocacy group that will help you sort this out. 

@Nick Hakim, It may seem counterintuitive, but I would contact the Short Term Rental Advocacy Center.

They can simply give you the deposit, sign the lease, and immediately file to the LTB to get it back.In fact, if you read some of the tenant advocacy group communities, they are actually advising people do exactly that: give deposit, sign lease, and file to get it back.

You might contact a consumer protection or tenant advocacy group in your area.