7/24/2019 37-39 Priest Street - Notice of Decision
1/4
covN
r
~
P
~ ` ~ ~ ~
SAN
FRANCISCO
a
PL NNING
a?b
ds 0~~~~~
S
eptember
17,
01 5
P
a t r i c i a
Barlow
1
611
Jackson
t r e e t
S
an
F r a n c i s c o , CA
4109
DEP RTMENT
N
OTICE
OF
DECISION
S
F
dministrative
Code
Chapter
41A
hort
Term
esidential
Rental
Si t e
Address:
37-39
r i e s t S t r e e t
A
s s e s s o r s
Block/Lot: 0215/029
Z
oning
i s t r i c t :
RH-2
R e s i d e n t i a l
-House,
Two
-Family)
oning
i s t r i c t
omplaint
Number:
13 3 75_ENF
H
earing
O f f i c e r :
Adrian
C.
utra,
415)
75-9079 or
D
E C I S I O N
1 6 5 0 M i s s i o n
S u i t 4 0 0
Sa n
F r a n c i s c
CA
9 4 1 0 3 - 2 4
R
e c e p t i o n :
4
1 5 . 5 5 8 . 6 3
Fa x
4
1 5 . 5 5 8 . 6 4
P l a n n i n g
n f o r m a t i o n :
41 5 . 5 5 8 . 6 3
T
he
i r e c t o r s
appointed
hearing f f i c e r ,
Adrian
C. utra,
has
determined
h a t
P a t r i c i a
Barlow,
he owner
o
f
37-39
P r i e s t
S t r e e t
has
v i o l a t e d
Administrative
Code
Chapter 41A
for
i l l e g a l l y o f f e r i n g
an
d/or
o
perating
three dwelling
u n i t s
f o r r e n t
as a
Tourist
or
Transient
use
a . k . a .
short-term
r e n t a l ) .
T h e
e t a i l s
o
f
the
v i o l a t i o n
a n d
d e c i s i o n
are discussed
below.
Th i s
d e c i s i o n
i s based
on
the
n t i r e t y of
the
record before
the
hearing
o f f i c e r ,
including
but
not
i m i t e d to
t
estimony of
witnesses
a n d
the
responsible
party
a n d
information
submitted
by
Planning
Department
s
t a f f ,
the
responsible
p a r t y / i e s ,
a n d
other
w i t n e s s e s .
T he
record may
be foun d
a t
1650
Mission
S t r e e t ,
S
u i t e 400,
San
F r a n c i s c o .
Although
f a c t u a l
information
from
the
record
i s
summarized
below,
t h i s
d
e c i s i o n i s
based on
the
record
as a whole.
D
ESCRIPTION OF
VIOLATION
T
he
s u b j e c t
property
contains
three dwelling
u n i t s 3 7
P r i e s t ,
37A
r i e s t , a n d
3 9 P r i e s t
S t r e e t s ) . T h e
P
lanning
Department
received
a
complaint
on
uly
30, 014,
l l e g i n g t h a t
the property
has been
converted
t
o
hort
term
r e n t a l s .
U
NLAWFUL
CONVERSION
hapter
41A of t h e
San
Francisco
Administrative Code
r o h i b i t s
the
o f f e r i n g
of
r e s i d e n t i a l
units for
T
o u r i s t
or
Transient
use which
i s
a
r e n t a l f o r
l e s s
than 3 0
days),
unless
the
u n i t s are
r e g i s t e r e d on
th e
S
hort-term
R e s i d e n t i a l
Rental R e g i s t r y .
Under
Administrative Code
ection 41A.6,
f
the
Hearing
O f f i c e r
d
etermines h a t
a v i o l a t i o n
has
occurred, n
d m i n i s t r a t i v e
penalty
h a l l
be
assessed
as
o l l o w s :
w
w w . s f p l a n n i n g . o r g
7/24/2019 37-39 Priest Street - Notice of Decision
2/4
37-39
r i e s t S t r e e t
C
omplaint No.
3375_ENF
Chapter
41A
Notice of
Decision
S
eptember 17,
015
1. For
the
i n i t i a l v i o l a t i o n ,
not m o re than four times
the
standard
hourly
a d m i n i s t r a t i v e
r a t e
of
121.00
o r
each
unlawfully converted
u n i t ,
or f o r
each i d e n t i f i e d f a i l u r e
of
a
Hosting Platform
t o
c
o m p l y
with the
requirements
of
subsection
g ) 4 ) ,
per d a y f r
om the n o t i c e
of Complaint
u n t i l
su c h
time as
the
unlawful c t i v i t y t e r m i n a t e s ;
2. For
the second
v i o l a t i o n by t h e ,
a m e Owner(s), Business
E n t i t y ,
or Hosting
Platform, not m o re
than
eight
times
the
standard
hourly d m i n i s t r a t i v e
r a t e
of
121.00
o r
each
unlawfully
converted
u
n i t , or
f o r each
i d e n t i f i e d f a i l u r e
of a Hosting
Platform
t o
comply with the
requirements
of
s
ubsection
g ) 4 ) , per d a y
from the
d a y
the
unlawful a c t i v i t y
c o m m e n c e d
u n t i l
such
time as
th e
u
nlawful c t i v i t y t e r m i n a t e s ; an
d
3. For
the t h i r d and
any
subsequent
v i o l a t i o n by
the same
Owner(s),
Business E n t i t y ,
or Hosting
P
latform,
not
m o re than twelve
times
the standard
hourly
a d m i n i s t r a t i v e
r a t e of
121.00 o r
each
u
nlawfully
converted
unit
or
f o r
each i d e n t i f i e d f a i l u r e
of
a Hosting
Platform
to
comply
with th e
r
equirements of
subsection
g ) 4 ) per day from
the d a y the
unlawful a c t i v i t y
c o m m e n c e d
u n t i l
s
u c h time as the
unlawful c t i v i t y
t e r m i n a t e s .
C
OMPLAINT
AND
SUPPORTING
DOCUMENTS
O
n July
30, 2014,
Planning
Department s t a f f received a
complaint t h a t
the
s u b j e c t
property was
c
onverted to short
term
r e n t a l s .
Planning Department
s t a f f i n v e s t i g a t e d
the
complaint
under
Planning
C
o d e
Section
176 and
found
t h a t
a l l
three
u n i t s
a t
the s u b j e c t
property were
being o f f e r e d as
short-term
r
e n t a l s
o n
a
nightly
or
weekly
b a s i s through
hosting
platform
websites
Airbnb
(www.airbnb.com) and
VRBO
www.vrbo.com) .
Planning
Department
s t a f f
has
worked
to
bring t h i s
property i n t o
compliance
u
t i l i z i n g the
enforcement
mechanisms
under
Planning
Code
ection
176
with no
u c c e s s .
O
n
une
29, 2015,
t a f f
i n v e s t i g a t e d
the complaint
under Administrative
Code
ection41A nd found
t h a t
t
hree
dwellings
t the property
were advertised
on
Airbnb f o r
short
term
r e n t a l .
NOTICE O F
COMPLAINT
AND
APPARENT
VIOLATION
O
n une
30, 2015,
t a f f
issued a
Notice of
Complaint
o
the
property
o wne r b y
c e r t i f i e d
an d non
- c e r t i f i e d
m i l .
O
n
uly 1,
015, t a f f
posted
a o t i c e a t the
s u b j e c t
property
o t i f y i n g the property
o wne r of
the hearing.
P
RE-HEARING
SUBMISSION
S
t a f f
received a
mailed packet
from the property
o w n er on uly 16, 2015.
The packet
contained an
f
rom Airbnb t o the
property
owner, addressing her
inquiry
regarding the
compan~s new
user
a
greement.
The
packet
a d d i t i o n a l l y
contained
a
copy
of
the company's
terms
of
s e r v i c e t h
at
were
u
pdated
o n
July
9,
2015.
A
DMINISTRATIVE
HEARING
O
n A u g u s t
19, 2015,
the
hearing o f f i c e r
convened the
administrative
hearing.
All
t e s t i f y i n g
witnesses
were
s w o rn
in and the hearing
w a s
audio
recorded. The
hearing was
ttended
by
the
following
people:
S
AN
FRANCISCO
L NNING
DEP RTMENT
7/24/2019 37-39 Priest Street - Notice of Decision
3/4
37-39
r i e s t
S t r e e t
C
omplaint
No.13375_ENF
r drian
Putra,
earing
o f f i c e r
s
udrey
Butkus, t a f f
planner
s
a t r i c i a
Barlow,
property
owner
Chapter
41A
Notice
of Decision
S
eptember
17,
2015
M
Butkus, t a f f
planner
gave
the
following
testimony:
n
une
29,
2015,
t a f f
located
the
i s t i n g s on
Airbnb
advertising a l l
three
u n i t s at
the
property
for
s
hort
term
r e n t a l
n
uly
3, 2015,
t a f f
f ound that
l l
of
the
i s t i n g s for
the
property
on
irbnb
were removed.
n uly 6,
2015,
Ms
arlow
c a l l e d Ms
utkus and
e f t her a
voicemail
inquiring
about the
Notice
o
f Complaint.
n
uly
7,
2015, Ms
utkus
spoke with
Ms arlow
via
telephone
during
which
Ms
Barlow
a
greed to
remove any
remaining
online
presence of
the subject
property
an
d
t a t e d a
desire to
come
n t o
compliance with
Administrative
Code ection
41A.
M
Barlow,
roperty
owner,
ave
the following
testimony:
s
arlo~s
dwelling
units
at
P r i e s t S t r e e t
are
no
onger
l i s t e d
on
Airbnb
and
that
she has
no
outstanding
reservations for
the property.
s
arlow s
l i s t i n g s on
Flipkey
(www.flipkey.com)
were
modified to
require
a
one month
m
inimum t a y
s
arlow s
i s t i n g s
on
VRBO
ere
removed
prior t o
June
30,
015.
hat
37A
r i e s t
S t r e e t
was ccupied
by
an
individual
r
om May
7,
2015
to
A u g u s t
10,
2015
and
s
c
urrently
vacant.
hat 37
r i e s t
S t r e e t
i s currently
occupied
by
a
couple on
33
ay
e a s e
hat 3 9
P r i e s t
S t r e e t i s currently
occupied by an
individual
who i l l
be staying
at the
property
l
ong
term
beginning
in October
of
2015.
hat 37
r i e s t
S t r e e t
did
have an
individual stay
on
short-term b a s i s
a f t e r
June 30,
2015,because
M
Barlow
was
nable
to
cancel
her Airbnb
r e s e r v a t i o n
P
OS T
-HEARING
SUBMISSION
M
Barlow
submitted a
packet of
additional
information on
A u g u s t 26,
2015.
summary of
th e
i
nformation of
the
submittal
s
below:
wo mail
correspondences from
Airbnb
representatives
inquiring about
separate
reservations
at
t
he
roperty
that
were cancelled by
N I s
Barlow.
ist
of
Airbnb
reservations
printed
on
August
19,
2015,
showing
a l l of
the cancelled
short-term
r
ental
reservations f o r
37,
37A
and 3 9
P r i e s t
S t r e e t s that
were
to
take
place
between A u g u s t
1,
2
015 and
February 8,
2016.
n irbnb
booking
confirmation
for an
individual
that
stayed at 37
r i e s t S t r e e t
from
July
2,
2015
t
o uly 14,
2015.
e n t a l
agreement o r an
individual to
stay a t 37
r i e s t
from
July 15,
2015
to
A u g u s t 15,
015.
e n t a l
agreement
for
a
couple
to stay a t 37
r i e s t
S t r e e t
from
A u g u s t
15,
2015 to
September
17,
2015.
F
INDINGS
B
ased
on
he
review
of
the record
as
a whole,
he hearing
o f f i c e r
finds
as
follows:
S
AN
FRANCISCO
L NNING
DEP RTMENT
7/24/2019 37-39 Priest Street - Notice of Decision
4/4
37-39 r i e s t
S t r e e t
C
omplaint
No.13375_ENF
Chapter
41A
Notice
of
Decision
S
eptember 17,2015
1.
The dwelling
at
37A an d 3 9
P r i e s t
S t r e e t s were
o f f e r e d
f o r Tourist
or
Transient
u se
u n t i l
a t l e a s t
J uly
2, 015.
2.
The
dwelling a t
3 7 P r i e s t S t r e e t was
o f f e r e d
and/or
operated as an
unauthorized Tourist
or
Tr a n s i e n t . use
u n t i l
a t J u l y . 1 4 ,
2015.
3
.
T ' h e
dwellings a t
37,
3 7A , a n d
3 9
P r i e s t S t r e e t s are not
c u r r e n t l y
being
o f f e r e d f o r
Tourist
or
Tr a n s i e n t use.
C
ONCLUSION
AND
ORDER
B
ased o n the
above
findings
an
d
he evidence
in
t h e
record as a
whole,
he
hearing
o f f i c e r determines
t h a t
d
wellings at
37A and 3 9 P r i e s t
S t r e e t s
were o f f e r e d
f o r Tourist
or Transient use
through J u l y
2,
2015,
in
v
i o l a t i o n
of
Administrative Code
Chapter
41A. Additionally,
the
hearing
o f f i c e r
determines
t h a t the
d
welling
at
37
r i e s t S t r e e t w a s
o f f e r e d and/or
operated as
a
Tourist
or Transient
use through
Ju ly 14,
2
015,
in
v i o l a t i o n of
Administrative Code
Chapter
41A.
Because
t h i s i s an
i n i t i a l v i o l a t i o n , the
hearing
o
f f i c e r may s s e s s a d m i n i s t r a t i v e
p e n a l t i e s
from
the
date
of the Notice
of
Complaint
here
J u ne
30, 2015)
u
n t i l
the date the
v i o l a t i o n
i s
cured
here
July
2,
2015
o r
37A
nd 3 9
r i e s t
S t r e e t s ,
an
d
July
14,
2015
o r
3 7
P
r i e s t S t r e e t )
on both
a
per
diem and
per - u n i t
b a s i s . Thus,
by
t h i s
determination the
hearing o f f i c e r
as s e s s e s
administrative
p e n a l t i e s
against
the property o w ner s
f o r a
t o t a l
of
21
days
t h r e e days each f o r
t
he u n i t s a t
37A and 3 9 r i e s t
S t r e e t and
15
days
o r
the unit a t
3 7
r i e s t S t r e e t ) a t a
r a t e of $484 per
day.
ccordingly,
a d m i n i s t r a t i v e
p e n a l t i e s f o r the
t o t a l
a m o u n t of
1 0 , 1 6 4 . 0 0 ,
i s now d u e
t o
the Planning
D
epartment.
Please
s u b m it a
check
for
the
t o t a l amount
of 1 0 , 1 6 4 . 0 0 ,
payable
to
Planning
Department
Code Enforcement
Fund
immediately.
Please
be
aware
t h a t curing
the
v i o l a t i o n
of
d m i n i s t r a t i v e
C o d e
Chapter
41A
does
not absolve
the
owner
of
accrued
p e n a l t i e s f o r
the v i o l a t i o n
a
ssessed when
nforced
u n d er
Planning Code
e c t i o n
176.
S
i n c e r e l y ,
f- ' ~
~
A
drian
C.
utra
Hearing
O f f i c e r
C
C:
A u d r e y
Butkus,
lanner, f f i c e of
Short Term R e n t a l s ,
City
&County
f
San
Francisco
S
AN
FRANCISCO
NNING
DEP RTMENT
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