The tenants of 3450 Market St. had loved living in the yellow brick and stucco apartment building perched partway up Twin Peaks.
The five-story complex had its faults: dingy hallways, fading paint. But its rent-controlled units featured sweeping views, garage parking and free cable. And for the residents of the five occupied units, it had been a tranquil place for a decade or more, where a hands-off landlord permitted custom renovations and tenants willingly took on much of the maintenance.
Then three years ago, a new owner, Laura Lee, took over the building. Within weeks, she scaled back trash services, ended free cable and asked all tenants to sign new leases, though they were not required to do so under San Francisco law. Failure to comply, Lee warned, could result in “just cause” evictions.
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The tenants feared that Lee was trying to force them out so she could charge higher rates or sell the building empty, making it more valuable…