7月24日，近200名业主、租客和移民热烈地响应参加了的抗议活动，抗议两项进入三藩市大选的恶法。当日穿着蓝色T恤的游行队伍，象一片海洋，填满了市政厅二楼长长的走廊。很合时地造访了市参事Kim的办公室，造成压力，令她当天下午撤回一条大选法案「马上停建法」。恭喜三藩市，这两百位英雄的出现，为三藩市改写了历史！
三藩市的抗议上了主流ABC7电视台和各湾区中文传媒！请看全面的报道。主流报道隐瞒若干实事，但已经没有刻意恶化业主。可喜！
新闻报道
马兆光市参事的「25万卖房转手税」，他命名为“投机税”，虽然目的为打击投机者，但是一竹竿打死一船人！报道隐瞒拥有多单位的业主，除了自住那个单位可以豁免，其他出租单位必须被课以房屋售价25%的转手税（原来是1%的转手税）。三藩市有一半的房子是多单位的，三层楼高的房子就是多单位，甚至两层楼的独立屋，有出租姻亲的也算两单位。但是本地立法却不允许业主独层、独单位地出售或拥有物业，必须买下整栋楼。业主最多自住一层，其他一、两层出租，被迫成为房东，要受各种苛刻的立法管制。这个24万转手税，将是美国历史上最高昂的增税，没有考虑到房屋急售的原因可能是兑现救命、重大疾病、转工、失业、遗产处理。独立屋如果有出租的姻亲，也不受豁免。受害者里首当其冲的是华人。
这两百走上街头并在马市参事办公室僵持了20分钟的老年华人，愤怒之情难以形容。这个法案，将掠夺他们1／4的房产价值，不但现在，还会掠夺子子孙孙，永远存在。同时，该法案将促使业主不再出租房子，宁可空置，因为出租了的单位就要赋这个转手税。这将导致租盘奇缺，租金光速飙升。三藩市1600尺的房租，将会由$4000／月，升到$6000、$8000。对华人新移民和新租客，是百上加斤，无处藏身，而家庭不能立足。三藩市会马上失去中产阶级，同时由于没有了住房提供者，低中收入租客也会逐渐式微。最后留下的，是得到政府补助的极低收入者，和极端有钱的人。长期，会造成两极分化的恶劣现象。
马市参事可以顺应民意，在星期二前撤回法案，否则，将进入十一月大选。大家必须动员所有认识的人注册成选民，在大选时把这法案选走。我们可以把双语选民登记表邮寄到府上。
这场仗打赢了一半。三藩市过往9个月出的11条恶法，有5条被大家打败了，有4条被各业主团体起诉中。请大家看到自己的成绩。过往，业主是节节败退的，这优异成绩从没看到过。你的响应和支持是成功的根源。请你继续加入以下的奋斗。我们不坐以待毙，我们要改写历史，我们将缔造奇迹！
Good News! Protesters successfully Pressured a November Ballot Withdrawn
7/24/2014, nearly 200 of property owners, renters and immigrants came to the protest and supervisor visits, opposing two November ballot measures! After the protest at the steps of City Hall, the sea of blue-shirts filled a large section of the 2nd floor hallway, wall to wall! The visit to Supervisor Kim’s office, helped pressured her into withdrawing the “Housing Balance Act” (or as I nicked named it: the “Stop New Construction Act”. The good news of the withdraw came a few hours after the protest. Huge congratulation!!! Your presence represented the people’s voice, and it help changed the course of City’s politics !
The protest was covered by ABC7 news, and all local Chinese media! The ABC coverage hid facts and mixed up two different bills. But at least, it didn’t smear property owners and those who want reasonable housing policies. This is progress! Again, the presence of your face mattered!
News Coverage
Another bill we protested, was Supervisor Mar’s “Speculator Tax” bill. Though said to target “speculators”, it hits small property owners the hardest! The ABC coverage ignored the fact that only the unit occupied by the owner is exempted in an owner-occupied building, but all other rented units, will be taxed at up to 25% of sale price if sold within 6 years of ownership. The current transfer tax is 1%. It makes no exemptions for the common reasons such as major illness, family emergency, and job transfers. Sale of inherited properties will also be subject to the surtax, even if previously held in family for years. Single family homes with a rented in-law unit would also be taxed. The bill would retroactively apply to those who purchased their properties in the last 5 years, that is unless, the owners want to sell their properties at a loss. Making 1 penny will cost 1/4 of the house value.
On 7/24, the couple hundreds folks, mostly seniors, barged into Mar’s office after the rally Their anger was beyond words, and captured by the camera (see link). The stalemate lasted 20 minutes. These folks understand, this bill will not only affect this generation, but many more generations to come. It also discourages rental business, any unit rented will be taxed at the exuberant rate. When rental unit supply diminishes, rents will further skyrockets. New immigrants, new renters and families will not be able to stay in San Francisco. It will wipe out the middle class quickly. As the housing providers disappears, low to moderate incomes renters will also disappear. The ones who can make it in the City, will be the extreme low incomes qualified for government assistance, or the extreme rich who can afford not to rent out their extra units.
Supervisor Mar could still withdraw this proposition before Tuesday 7/29. Otherwise, it will be time for all-out mobilization. Everyone of you should get your circle of friends and family to register to vote, and to vote out this highest tax increase in U.S. history!
Look at the bright side! We won half of this battle. In the past 9 months, 11 anti-property owner bills appeared in the City. Among them, 5 bills were defeated due to your work (SB1439 by Leno, AB2405 by Ammiano, Short-term Rental by Chiu vs. Welch, and Stop New Constructions by Kim)， 4 laws are being sued by various organizations. This is the year of best scorecard for small property owners. In the past, we hardly defeat anything. Your presence at the protests IS the reason for success. Please join us for the remaining fights. Together we can make miracles!
