Title. | |
Purpose. | |
Authority of the Single Room Occupancy Hotel Safety and Stabilization Task Force, Approval of the Initial Uniform Visitor Policy for Residential Hotels, and Subsequent Authority of the Residential Rent Arbitration and Stabilization Board. | |
Required Goals for the Uniform Visitor Policy and Any Supplemental Visitor Policies. | |
Hotel Operator Petitions for Supplemental Visitor Policies. | |
Review and Amendment of the Uniform Visitor Policy, and Amendment of Criteria and Procedures for Approving Supplemental Visitor Policies. | |
Hotel Occupant Petitions for Violation of this Chapter. | |
Limitation of Liability. | |
Severability. | |
This Chapter shall be known as the Residential Hotel Visitor Policy Ordinance. For purposes of this Chapter, “Residential Hotel” shall have the same meaning as that set forth in Administrative Code Section 41.4, except that housing sites operated by non-profit organizations for the purpose of providing housing and supportive services to victims and survivors of domestic violence, as confirmed by the Department on the Status of Women or its successor(s), shall be exempt from the requirements of this Chapter.
(Added by Ord. 135-01, File No. 010526, App. 7/6/2001; amended by Ord. 62-02, File No. 020343, App. 5/3/2002; Ord. 7-07, File No. 061538, App. 1/18/2007; Ord. 38-17, File No. 161291, App. 2/17/2017, Eff. 3/19/2017)
The purpose of this ordinance is to establish a mechanism for the review and approval of Visitor Policies for the City's Residential Hotels. Such policies shall be designed to protect the safety, welfare and dignity of guests and occupants of Residential Hotels in the City. Pursuant to Police Code Section 919.1, operators, employees or agents of Residential Hotels may not impose or collect a fee for any person to visit a guest or occupant of the hotel, nor restrict visitors to guests or occupants of these hotels except in accordance with an approved Visitor Policy, as set forth in this Chapter.
(Added by Ord. 135-01, File No. 010526, App. 7/6/2001)
(a) The Single Room Occupancy Hotel Safety and Stabilization Task Force ("SRO Task Force") was created by Board of Supervisors Resolution No. 868-99. In addition to the duties and obligations imposed by that resolution, the Task Force was authorized by Ordinance No. 135-01 to carry out the requirements of this Chapter for initial approval of a Uniform Visitor Policy for Residential Hotels (Uniform Visitor Policy). The Task Force fulfilled this responsibility on December 5, 2001, by adopting the initial "Uniform Visitor Policy in SRO Hotels."
(b) Following SRO Task Force approval of the initial Uniform Visitor Policy, the Residential Rent Stabilization and Arbitration Board is authorized to review and amend the Uniform Visitor Policy from time to time, to establish criteria and procedures for approval of Supplemental Visitor Policies, and to hear and determine complaints of non-compliance with the provisions of this Chapter. No Visitor Policy may be implemented or enforced prior to its approval in accordance with this Chapter.
(Added by Ord. 135-01, File No. 010526, App. 7/6/2001; amended by Ord. 62-02, File No. 020343, App. 5/3/2002)
(a) The Uniform Visitor Policy and any Supplemental Visitor Policies shall meet the following goals:
(1) To enhance the safety and welfare of guests and occupants of Residential Hotels;
(2) To ensure the dignity and personal freedom of guests and occupants of Residential Hotels and their visitors by eliminating unnecessary restrictions on the ability of guests and occupants of Residential Hotels to conduct their personal and social lives in the manner that they choose.
(3) To prevent harassment or other inappropriate interference by Residential Hotel operators, employees or agents with the personal and social lives of Residential Hotel guests and occupants and their visitors.
(4) To respect the privacy rights and right to quiet enjoyment of other Residential Hotel guests and occupants.
(5) To recognize the obligation of SRO operators to maintain the safety of the premises.
(6) To incorporate and to be consistent with the provisions of Police Code Section 919.1(a).
(7) To ensure that a SRO guest or occupant may bring on the premises visitors to assist the SRO guest or occupant with "get out the vote activities" on the same basis as any other visitor under the Uniform Visitor Policy. For the purposes of this subsection, the term "get out the vote activities" means any activity that has as its primary purpose encouraging SRO guests and occupants to exercise their right to vote, including but not limited to distributing handbills, door hangers and flyers, as well as providing assistance with transportation to the polls.
(8) To ensure that census workers be allowed access to Residential Hotels during the hours of 9 a.m. until 8 p.m. for the purpose of census activities. For the purposes of this subsection, the term "census activities" means any activity that has as its primary purpose encouraging SRO occupants to participate in the census, including but not limited to conducting surveys and distributing handbills, door hangers and flyer related to the census. For the purposes of this subsection, the term "census worker" means an official employee of the U.S. Census Bureau or of an organization contracted by the City and County of San Francisco to perform Census outreach and education. Census employees shall present valid identification issued by the Bureau to a front desk clerk or property management staff. Employees of City-funded census outreach organizations shall present documentation from the Office of Citizen Engagement and Immigrant Affairs confirming that they are contracted with the City for Census outreach.
(b) However, nothing in the Uniform Visitor Policy or any Supplemental Visitor Policy shall encourage or allow any hotel to exceed its approved maximum occupancy under State or Local fire safety laws.
(Added by Ord. 135-01, File No. 010526, App. 7/6/2001; amended by Ord. 62-02, File No. 020343, App. 5/3/2002; Ord. 213-07, File No. 070590, App. 9/21/2007; Ord. 48-10, File No. 100023, App. 3/17/2010)
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