The concept of “Hacker Houses” or “Hacker Hostels” have become increasingly wide-spread in San Francisco. The owners or hosts of these Hacker Homes claim that their goal is to bring together communities of hackers to work and share ideas with one another under one collaborative roof. In reality, this scheme has created the illegal short-term rentals of individual bunk beds within residential spaces, with as many as five or six beds crammed into one dorm-like room. The average nightly rental rate for each bed can be more than $50.00 and as a result, incentivizes many landlords and tenants to rent out their units on a short-term basis to pocket a higher profit. This has not only created unsafe conditions for the numerous individuals living within these Hacker Houses, but has also caused excessive noise and security concerns for the neighbors residing next to these House Houses. Many of these Hacker Houses will see tens if not hundreds of individuals moving in and out every month, with some staying for a few nights and others, a few weeks. Hacker Houses have also contributed to San Francisco’s growing housing crisis, as an increasing number of residential units are not being utilized or made available for long-term tenants’ use.
If you have been affected by a Hacker House or Hacker Hostel, or have information to offer, please contact us at (415)-318-5709.