Public announcements and legislative records from U.S. cities

San Francisco Passes Landmark Municipal Ban on Automated Rent-Setting Software on Tuesday

Jul 31, 2024, 06:25 AM

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors has passed a first-in-the-nation municipal ban on Tuesday, prohibiting landlords from using automated rent-setting software such as RealPage. The new regulation aims to address issues related to rising rents, restricted housing supply, and increased eviction rates. Supervisor Aaron Peskin, who proposed the ban, emphasized that the policy is designed to protect working renters and serve as a model for other cities. The ordinance targets software and algorithms that have been criticized for exacerbating the rent crisis and empowering corporate landlords to keep units vacant intentionally.