Members, Board of Supervisors City and County of San Francisco

Districts 3

Julie Christensen

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SUPERVISOR JULIE CHRISTENSEN REQUESTS IMMEDIATE WITHDRAWAL OF

EVICTION AT 456 BROADWAY AFTER PROPERTY OWNER FOUND IN

VIOLATION OF SHORT TERM RENTAL ORDINANCE IN ADJACENT UNIT

Supervisor Julie Christensen requests the immediate withdrawal of the Reynolds’ eviction at 456

Broadway after the property owner was found in violation of San Francisco’s Short Term Rental

ordinance in an adjacent unit.

October 30, 2015

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contacts: Kanishka Burns, (415) 554-7450, Kanishka.Burns@sfgov.org

San Francisco, CA – Following last Friday’s Notice of Decision handed down from the Office of

Short Term Rentals Enforcement to the building owner and tenant of 458 Broadway, Supervisor

Julie Christensen is calling on Mr. Cory Lau, the property owner, to withdraw the eviction of the

Reynolds’ family currently occupying the residence at 456 Broadway.

“It has come to our attention through eviction proceedings and short term rental violations at 458

Broadway, owner Corey Lau knowingly violated the Short Term Rental ordinance in one unit

while attempting to evict a family from the adjacent unit. Mr. Lau recently renewed a lease with a

tenant that was found in violation for the illegal use of 458 Broadway, as he has been out of the

unit consistently for over 3 years and has been alleged to have various short term rentals in other

cities,” stated Supervisor Christensen.

An initial complaint was filed by Supervisor Christensen’s office for the Office of Short-Term

Rentals to investigate potential STR abuse at 458 Broadway. On Friday, October 23, Director

Kevin Guy handed down penalties totaling just over $7,400.00 to both the landlord and tenant of

458 Broadway. It was determined that Corey Lau, the owner of 458 Broadway, and Peter

Herrmann, the tenant at 458 Broadway, had violated the City’s Administrative Code for illegally

offering a dwelling unit for rent as a Tourist or Transient use (aka short-term rental). This decision

was based on a very thorough investigation, which included online research, interviews, site visits,

and hearings.

Supervisor Christensen’s office has been made aware of public discovery items showing Cory Lau

and Peter Herrmann signed an initial lease in 2012 for well above market rate rents for the

neighborhood just prior to listing 458 Broadway on numerous short term rental hosting sites.

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