Helping owners and tenants maintain safe buildings

The Department of Building Inspection (DBI) works with nonprofit community organizations to provide support to tenants and owners. The program helps the City of San Francisco and the community work together to bring housing into code compliance.

Program services

For tenants

Our community partners can:

  • Answer your questions about your rights living in a habitable rental
  • Help you notify your landlord in writing about needed repairs 
  • Act as a liaison between you and the Department of Building Inspection when you need to get repairs
  • Attend workshops about what you can do to ensure residential rentals are up to code

 

Check the map to learn which organization is assigned to support tenants in your building.

For owners

The San Francisco Apartment Association will: 

  • Answer your telephone calls and questions about building code or structural compliance issues
  • Provide a mentor to counsel and help you to comply with repair requests in a timely manner
  • Mediate between you and your tenants on housing complaints
  • Conduct city-wide classes on the responsibility of providing safe housing to your tenants

 

Call the San Francisco Apartment Association at 415-255-2288.

About

The purpose of the Code Enforcement Outreach Program is to expedite the code enforcement process by clarifying tenant and property owner’s respective rights and responsibilities, mediate, and improve communication between the parties.

DBI aims to support all tenants and property owners, particularly individuals of limited or non-English speaking skills. The goal of this program is to achieve the abatement of violations prior to a Director’s Hearing and referral to the City Attorney’s Office.