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Ground-floor family rooms, wet bars, and extra bedrooms are getting extra scrutiny in San Francisco! With Ordinance 240803 in full effect, the Planning Department is digging deep into permit records, sales history, and rental listings to uncover unauthorized units. Removing a unit is virtually off the table, making legalization the main path forward. Read our full post for key insights on navigating UDU reviews, planning ahead, and keeping project delays at bay.

Q-Arch Design's San Francisco practice brings design and structural engineering together from the start—an especially valuable combination when working with older buildings, multi-unit properties, additions, seismic upgrades, and complicated permitting conditions.

This week we're spotlighting TL Electric, as “expert” as they come! Owner Tony Loi’s father was an electrical contractor, and Tony himself has been around panels and conduit since he was a toddler. Eight years running his own shop, a tight team that's been with him since day one, and complex commercial work is a TL specialty.

Meet Borin Reyes and the team at Boyes Electric - our newest addition to the Property Atlas Vendor Program.

We're spotlighting B Side Construction - an Oakland-based GC that's been quietly tackling everything from emergency turns to multimillion-dollar conversions for over 20 years. Multilingual crews, in-house licenses across nearly every trade, and dedicated teams just for unit conversions? Yes, please.⁠

Spring in San Francisco is one of the best times of year to own or manage property here, and a little proactive effort now means a smooth, stress-free summer ahead. From irrigation startups to HVAC tune-ups, SF and Oakland properties each have their own seasonal rhythms. We break down what to prioritize and when.

A dry winter doesn't mean your property is in the clear, it could just mean the damage hasn't shown itself yet. Roof issues, drainage problems, and pest pressure can all be quietly building, waiting for next season to make themselves known.

We sat down with Aaron Blatter, co-founder of Banner Pest Services, and came away seriously impressed. From 18-month bed bug standoffs to picking up the phone in 4 seconds flat, Banner is quietly redefining what great commercial pest control looks like in the Bay Area.

No one ever calls a plumber on a good day. That’s why we’re excited to feature R&L Plumbing as part of our Property Atlas vendor network - it’s a team built for when things go sideways. Fast response, straight answers, and pricing that doesn’t come with surprises.

Water damage is stressful. Insurance claims don’t have to make it worse. We put together a quick guide on how insurance actually works with water damage and mold: why pricing changes, why documentation matters, and why fast mitigation makes such a difference (especially in older Bay Area buildings).

We’re excited to feature Dryfast Property Restoration as one of our handpicked recommended vendors. They’re the Bay Area team that handles water mitigation, mold remediation, smoke cleanup, and all the messy surprises that come with sudden water damage.

We’re excited to welcome Rain Defense Services to the Property Atlas vendor network. They’re the Bay Area pros who rappel off buildings, skip the scaffolding, diagnose the leaks everyone else missed, and keep an 88% repeat customer rate while doing it.

When a tenant reports mold, a ceiling leak, or that classic “mysterious stuff on the wall,” you don’t need theories, you need facts. That’s why we’re excited to welcome Sol Environmental to the Property Atlas vendor network.

Painting an apartment building is never just “picking a color.” It’s scaffolding, lead safety, tenant notices, surprise dry rot, and enough coordination to make you briefly reconsider your career choices. That’s why we’re excited to feature Mural View Painting in the Property Atlas vendor network: a Bay Area painting contractor run by former property management pros who actually get what your job is like.

Rent-controlled buildings aren’t a choice so much as a fact of life for both SF and Oakland owners, and sometimes they’ll have you studying the rent code like it’s an escape room puzzle. That’s where Rent Raisers shines.

If exterior inspections feel like they’ve become a full-contact sport lately… same. That’s why we’re highlighting Great Escape Services, one of the sharpest, most trustworthy inspection-only teams in the Bay Area (and soon LA).

Before rainy season hits, check your roofs, gutters, catch basins, and site drains, or risk finding out the hard way where the water’s going. Need help? Reach out to one of the vetted vendors through Property Atlas.

Meet SLM Development: A Contractor You Can Count On

If you’ve managed a building through a 5-year fire inspection, you know the drill: disruption, scheduling headaches, and surprise costs. The fix? One vendor who can do it all.

Meet Mark Ma: Precision As-Built Plans Without the Wait

Ideal Restoration: The “Magical” Team You Want on Speed Dial

REI BuildUP: Structural Engineering, Construction, and Fabrication, All Under One Roof

Rent Increases Without the Backlash: Meet the team at Rent Board Passthroughs

Designing the Future of California Living: Inside OpenScope Studio