Many tenants are being evicted these days because wealthy landowners are buying multi-unit buildings and turning them into single family homes rather, mansions. Tenants can fight both the evictions which make the mergers possible and can fight the actual marger itself. Tenants who face eviction due to such mergers will now be better able to contest the issuance of such permits.
Mergers occur when a landlord combines two or more units into one larger unit.
They often occur when a landlord-owner combines the units for personal use. Besides creating a larger, more desirable apartment, the landlord can sometimes evict a longtime tenant. A growing trend in San Francisco mergers is the conversion of entire apartment buildings into large single family homes. Mergers can be done legally by obtaining approval from the City Planning Commission and Department of Building Inspection or can be done illegally without permits and official sanction. Either way, a tenant should, and can, fight a merger.