1990: Strengthening Residential Hotel Ordinance
After winning amendments to strengthen the City’s residential hotel ordinance in 1985 and 1987, the Clinic wins passage of a new more restrictive Ordinance that also gives nonprofit groups the right of enforcement. The Clinic obtains over a dozen injunctions against illegal hotel conversions, and successfully defends the constitutionality of the law in both state and federal court.

1992: Prop H: Tenant’s First Ballot Victory
The Clinic initiates a citywide organizing project for rebuilding San Francisco’s tenants’ movement. The process leads to the Clinic becoming the chief funder of Proposition H on the November 1992 ballot, an in initiative that cut the 4% allowable rent increase by more than half. Although outspent 10-1, Prop. H becomes San Francisco’s first winning tenant ballot initiative, saving San Francisco tenants tens of millions of dollars.

1993-1994: Improving Housing Code Enforcement
The Clinic leads the fight for improved housing code enforcement, joining with other tenant groups in public protests and media events to highlight the Bureau of Building Inspection’s (BBI) refusal to enforce the housing code. After our complaints are ignored, the Clinic joins with the Residential Builders Association in collecting 68,000 signatures for a Charter Amendment to replace the publicly unaccountable BBI with a Department of Building Inspection controlled by a Commission. The Charter Amendment – Prop G – overcomes vigorous attacks by the Chronicle and Examiner and passes in the November 1994 election. In early 1995, the newly created Commission enacts tough new code enforcement procedures that make San Francisco the national leader in ensuring decent housing for tenants.

Community House Program
For the first time the Clinic offers supportive housing services to tenants through providing case management and employment services for tenants living in the privately owned Baldwin House hotel at 74 6th Street.

1995: Shelter Plus Care Program
The Clinic partners with the Cadillac Hotel to provide federal subsidies and on site services for disabled tenants.

1996: Publication of The Activist Handbook
Clinic Executive Director Randy Shaw publishes The Activist Handbook (University of California Press) which analyzes the strategies and tactics activist’s should use to win social change. The book uses case studies of successful campaigns across the country, including accounts of Clinic campaigns against proposed luxury hotels in the Tenderloin, homelessness, Guenter Kussen and the passage of Prop. H.

1997-1998: Renters Tax Credit Restored
The Clinic leads a statewide effort to restore the Renters Tax Credit, which was suspended by the state in 1993. Campaign falls short in 1997 but under leadership of new state Senate Present John Burton succeeds in 1998. The revised Credit restores $250 million annually to tenants.

1999: Hotel Leasing Begins.
As the dot-com boom doubles SRO rents, the Clinic seeks a new strategy for housing city welfare recipients. We first urge the City’s Department Human Services to begin leasing hotels, and when no group expresses interest, the Clinic takes on the task. On May 1, we begin leasing the 204 room Seneca Hotel, and in October takes on both the Mission Hotel (248 rooms) and the Jefferson Hotel (110 rooms). The Clinic currently leases 1263 units in twelve hotels, and provides complete staffing—from on-site case managers to desk clerks and maintenance crews—for all of the properties.

National Housing Advocacy.
The Clinic creates Housing America in 1999 as a vehicle for increasing federal housing funding. In March of that year Housing America and the Doc 4 Kids Project at Boston Medical Center co-author “There’s No Place Like Home: How America’s Housing Crisis Threatens Our Children.” The study wins nationwide media coverage for its breakthrough research on the impact of America’s housing crisis on children’s health nutrition and educational success.

Ellis Act Reform.
Working with State Senator John Burton the Clinic spearheads the first major reform to the state Ellis Act since its passage in 1985. The reform extends the Notice requirements for Ellis eviction of senior and disabled tenants to one year, and reasserts that the Ellis Act does not preempt local laws regulating demolitions or to unit conversions.