Affordable Housing Alliance v. Feinstein

[179 CalApp3d Page 487] Plaintiffs, a nonprofit corporation entitled the Affordable Housing Alliance, and David Spero, a resident of the City and County of San Francisco (the city), brought an action against Dianne Feinstein in her capacity as the city's mayor (the mayor) and other defendants, seeking to have set aside the mayor's veto of a rent control ordinance enacted by the board of supervisors. Summary judgment was entered for defendants. The question in this case is whether the mayor violated the California Political Reform Act of 1974 (the Act) (Gov. Code, ? 81000 et seq.)1 when she vetoed the ordinance even though she had a financial interest in the decision within the meaning of the Act. We conclude that the mayor's participation in the decision on the ordinance was legally required; therefore no violation of the Act occurred.