1991

Renegade Hotelier Slaps Housing Lawyer With Suit

Disgruntled Hotel Owner Adam Sparks files suit against Randy Shaw – Falsely claiming abuse of the Residential Hotel Ordinance for personal gain. Randy Shaw says this will make the owner look even more foolish, and that they would be making a motion to throw the case out.

1991

Hotelier Ordered Jailed Wednesday

Hotelier Adam Sparks is sentenced to jail for violating the city’s Residential Hotel Unit Demolition and Conversion Ordinance.

1991

S.F. Hotelier Is Barred From Renting to Tourists

SF Judge issues a permanent injunction barring Hotel Owner Adam Sparks from renting rooms to tourists. A win for hotel conversion and zoning laws – showing they can be enforced.

 

 

1992

Mayoral Intervention on Conversion of Hotel Approval

The Cornell Hotel wants to convert 31 units from residential to tourist use. The Planning Dept initially recommends disapproval of the request but then flips (after Mayor Frank Jordan intervened) to supporting the conversion. The conversion would mean a loss of over $1,000,000 in funds for non-profit housing.

 

 

1993

Hotelier Loses Conversion Bid

In a victory for affordable housing advocates, the SF Board of Supervisors rejected a bid for hotels to carve an exemption from a financial provision in a controversial housing ordinance. Leaving owners responsible to pay a conversion fee.

 

1993

Nothing Radical About Hotel Law

Randy Shaw addresses the San Francisco Residential Hotel Ordinance and how if it’s deemed “confiscation” residential zoning would be all but abolished.