San Francisco could seize properties in coronavirus emergency
The Bay Bridge and the San Francisco skyline including the Salesforce Tower are seen in this view from the bay on Monday, March 9, 2020. (Jane Tyska/Digital First Media/East Bay Times via Getty Images)
NEW YORK - San Francisco is laying out its legal authority to seize buildings as part of its fight against the coronavirus.
San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrera has issued a memo explaining the city's authority to "commandeer" privately owned real estate due to the emergency. The city is looking at trying to provide housing for homeless people and others that need to be quarantined due to the coronavirus.
Curbed San Francisco reports that "seemingly any" privately-owned building could be affected by the emergency.
The city attorney says the mayor can seize any property, from a home to a skyscraper, with the approval of the Board of Supervisors.
The city would have to pay "fair value" for the use of the commandeered property, according to the memo.
Among the buildings that could be seized, according to Business Insider, are the headquarters of tech giants, like Salesforce Tower and the Twitter building.
California, the most populous U.S. state, has fewer infections and deaths than New York and several other states. More than 25,000 Californians have tested positive for the virus and nearly 800 have died.
Six counties in the San Francisco Bay Area were the first in the country to impose stay-at-home orders. They have taken more aggressive approaches to coronavirus response than most areas of the country.