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Legislative Updates: Miscellaneous Summary
The state legislature has been BUSY this year. To help you stay on top of all the new bills, we’ve grouped them together into categories to help simplify your reviews. Next up in our series of legislative updates, here are all the bills proposed that don’t fall into a specific category, but cover a wide range of topics.
1 day ago


Spring Has Sprung — Time to Look at Your Trees
Spring is the right time to inspect, document, and get an arborist's eyes on every tree on your property. Our latest post: what to ask for, what to skip, and the SF-specific quirks (yes, including pollarded ficus) most generic advice gets wrong.
May 20


Spring Has Sprung — Time to Wash the Windows
When was the last time your building's windows got a proper clean?
If the answer is "uhh," this one's for you. We're breaking down why spring is the right time, what a good vendor visit should actually include, and the small-but-expensive things most managers miss (we’re looking at you, weep holes).
May 4


Spring Has Sprung — Time to Look Up
A clogged gutter isn't a gutter problem. It's a roof problem, a siding problem, a foundation problem, and eventually an "interior water damage" problem. Spring is one of the best times all year to get ahead of it. Our latest post: when to book, what a real cleaning visit should include, and which Bay Area vendor we'd put on the job.
May 4
SB-911: Transfer of Property in Fire Hazard Severity Zones
SB-911 would expand existing requirements for sellers to provide buyers with information about compliance with fire safety measures and local vegetation management ordinances.
Apr 26
AB-1559: Residential Property Insurance Images
AB-1559 would require property insurers to notify owners that aerial images may be taken of the property unless they are related to a pending claim or used to evaluate the claim.
Apr 22


Remote Inspections: AB 1738
California bill AB 1738 would require cities and counties to offer homeowners the option to request remote/virtual inspections for certain permitted work. This proposed bill, which would act as a way to free up inspector capacity, is being reviewed by the Committee on Local Government.
Apr 18


DBI's New Online Permits
As part of Mayor Lurie’s ongoing PermitSF efforts, a new series of permits can now be applied for and approved online. Fire Alarm and Fire Sprinkler Permits are two of the most recent additions, along with instant permits to replace doors, siding, and windows when replacing in-kind.
Apr 18


New Feature: Violation Email Updates
At the bottom of each violation email, you will now see “what changed” with a status update.
Apr 18


San Francisco Fire Department Administrative Bulletin 2.04
After last year’s building code change, fire sprinkler requirements were tightened. Now, even small projects must use the highest-level system. As of 2026, this applies to all projects (even those already submitted). The result? Hidden costs stack up, adding $35K+ to small projects.
Apr 15


On-Site Building Managers: AB 1771
California may be saying goodbye to on-site resident managers.
A new bill, AB 1771, would remove the long-standing rule requiring buildings with 16+ units to have a live-in manager (something unique to the state).
Apr 14


New Feature: Itemized Violation Count by Type
Now, not only will you see the total number of violations, but you’ll see the number of violations for each category.
Apr 14


PermitSF: One Year In — What's Actually Changed
San Francisco's permitting process has been a nightmare for decades. Mayor Lurie's PermitSF initiative is one year in, and a lot has actually changed.
Mar 4


SF Housing Fee Changes: Ordinances 250657, 250810, and 250815
We all know housing projects that stall before they even start: upfront costs are a big part of the story.
SF’s latest fee tweaks are aimed at reducing early cash pain (deferrals) while still protecting affordability goals (tradeoffs like rent control).
Feb 23


SF Just Made Two Tiny Pockets of the Mission Officially “Historic”: Ordinances 251100 / 251101
With recently approved Ordinances 251100 and 251101, SF is putting two tiny Mission Dolores pockets, Chula-Abbey and Alert Alley, into a preservation bubble. If you own or manage property nearby, expect more historic review and more “ask Planning first” for street-visible work.
Feb 18


R&L Plumbing: The kind of plumber you want in your phone at 2:00 a.m.
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.
Jan 20


Water Damage & Insurance: What Property Managers Wish They’d Known Sooner
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).
Jan 14


The Plumbing Tipping Point: Why Bay Area Buildings Are Failing Faster Than Expected
Plumbing emergencies rarely come out of nowhere, and planning smart updates can help head them off.
We put together a short piece on why Bay Area buildings are hitting a plumbing tipping point, why issues feel sudden when they finally surface, and what proactive planning actually looks like (without ripping everything out all at once).
Jan 9
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