1. Members, Board of Supervisors City and County of San Francisco
Districts 3
Julie Christensen
*** PRESS RELEASE ***
SUPERVISOR JULIE CHRISTENSEN REQUESTS IMMEDIATE WITHDRAWAL OF
EVICTION AT 456 BROADWAY AFTER PROPERTY OWNER FOUND IN
VIOLATION OF SHORT TERM RENTAL ORDINANCE IN ADJACENT UNIT
Supervisor Julie Christensen requests the immediate withdrawal of the Reynolds’ eviction at 456
Broadway after the property owner was found in violation of San Francisco’s Short Term Rental
ordinance in an adjacent unit.
October 30, 2015
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contacts: Kanishka Burns, (415) 554-7450, Kanishka.Burns@sfgov.org
San Francisco, CA – Following last Friday’s Notice of Decision handed down from the Office of
Short Term Rentals Enforcement to the building owner and tenant of 458 Broadway, Supervisor
Julie Christensen is calling on Mr. Cory Lau, the property owner, to withdraw the eviction of the
Reynolds’ family currently occupying the residence at 456 Broadway.
“It has come to our attention through eviction proceedings and short term rental violations at 458
Broadway, owner Corey Lau knowingly violated the Short Term Rental ordinance in one unit
while attempting to evict a family from the adjacent unit. Mr. Lau recently renewed a lease with a
tenant that was found in violation for the illegal use of 458 Broadway, as he has been out of the
unit consistently for over 3 years and has been alleged to have various short term rentals in other
cities,” stated Supervisor Christensen.
An initial complaint was filed by Supervisor Christensen’s office for the Office of Short-Term
Rentals to investigate potential STR abuse at 458 Broadway. On Friday, October 23, Director
Kevin Guy handed down penalties totaling just over $7,400.00 to both the landlord and tenant of
458 Broadway. It was determined that Corey Lau, the owner of 458 Broadway, and Peter
Herrmann, the tenant at 458 Broadway, had violated the City’s Administrative Code for illegally
offering a dwelling unit for rent as a Tourist or Transient use (aka short-term rental). This decision
was based on a very thorough investigation, which included online research, interviews, site visits,
and hearings.
Supervisor Christensen’s office has been made aware of public discovery items showing Cory Lau
and Peter Herrmann signed an initial lease in 2012 for well above market rate rents for the
neighborhood just prior to listing 458 Broadway on numerous short term rental hosting sites.
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