In most cities, self-management mistakes cost money; in SF, they can cost the building's economics — wrongful-eviction exposure, Rent Board petitions, and deposit-law penalties compound. The question is not convenience but competence in a specialist rulebook.
Owner-occupants of small buildings who study the ordinance seriously, join landlord associations, keep counsel on call, and document everything. It is a real discipline some owners genuinely master.
Anyone remote, anyone with pre-1979 multifamily and no appetite for regulatory study, and anyone navigating tenant transitions — buyouts, owner move-ins, and Ellis considerations demand professional handling without exception.
Even managed owners keep a landlord-tenant attorney relationship in SF. Management plus counsel is the standard professional stack here.
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