SAN FRANCISCO SUITES ELECTION RESULTS NOTICE

UNCONTESTED ELECTION

Monday, February 2, 2026

The deadline for the applications for the 1 open position for the SFS Board was February 2, 2026, at 5pm.

There was 1 application received:

Geoffrey Bellah

The SFS Election Rules state:

“When at the close of nominations, the number of qualified candidates nominated does not exceed the number of vacancies, the candidates may be declared elected without the need of balloting and will take their seats on the date set for the annual membership meeting.”

Application is below:

Please join me in congratulating Geoffrey Bellah and welcome him back to take his seat at the Board of Directors Annual Meeting.

Saturday, March 7, 2026 at 11 am in the SF Suites Boardroom. The Annual Business Meeting Agenda will soon follow Thank you,

Cynthia Reid, General Manager, San Francisco Suites

CC: Geoffrey Bellah, President of the Board

August 23, 2025 

Dear San Francisco Suites Owners,

 Sui Generis

 Does this scenario sound familiar? You’re talking casually with friends, and the subject of San Francisco comes up. As your discussion moves through the latest news from our favorite city, you mention that you have a place in San Francisco where you stay regularly, the San Francisco Suites on Nob Hill. Then, as you begin to describe the Suites to your friends, the conversation probably develops in much this way:

 “We own two shares at the Suites which gives us two weeks.”

 “Oh, how nice! Which weeks?”

 “Well, we use our weeks as we wish. One or two nights at a time. Or a week. We even stayed once for the full two weeks.”

 “Isn’t it a timeshare? You don’t have assigned weeks, or a particular apartment?”

 “It’s kinda like a timeshare, but it’s more like a small, European hotel. We have daily housekeeping, and an onsite staff to take care of us. And we stay in various suites, usually of our choice, all of which are beautifully furnished with antiques and fine art.”

 “That’s nothing like our timeshare where we check in, and check out after our assigned week’s stay, with no one cleaning up until we move out and no personal attention at all. The furnishings are pretty much functional, very basic, and that’s about it.”

 In summary, we may refer to the San Francisco Suites as a “timeshare” out of convenience and it may resemble other timeshares in its basic purposes, as a comfortable place to stay. But essentially we’re unique, in our organization, our intimacy, and our amenities. That’s one reason that the Board about five years ago, with the approval of owners, decided to divest the Association from California’s Davis-Stirling Act, which governs the operations of Home Owners Associations such as condominium communities. In many ways, Davis-Stirling still suggests the best and most legally supportable ways to operate our Association. But in other, very significant instances, Davis-Stirling’s mandates are irrelevant to us, or they conflict with our own singular vision of San Francisco Suites.

 I recall a conversation with our attorney during the time when the Association was deliberating on the move away from Davis-Stirling, mostly because of its cumbersome election rules.

 “But if we aren’t really a timeshare, what are we?” I asked him. “Our founding documents describe us as a City Share, whatever that is.”

 “I would suggest that the Suites is a private community-owned apartment building, perhaps a co-op with sixteen apartments mutually owned by members of the Association,” he replied.

 You can see then, given the tossed word-salad above, why we often revert to the term “timeshare.” It’s so much simpler although a slight misnomer.

 However, because we are not overseen by some larger corporation such as Marriott or Hilton or Wyndham and are self-managing, we can define and run ourselves as our owners wish us to be defined and run, and can efficiently adjust ourselves to the changing circumstances within our shareholding community and outside in the city and in the industry. We are not beholden to distant CEOs or anonymous stockholders but only to our owners, i.e., our shareholders, within of course the parameters of our governing documents and the law.

 More important than our corporate and legal independence is our operating freedom to make all who stay at the Suites, be they owners, AirBnb or Exchange guests, experience a personal connection to us and be treated like individuals, like friends or family members, not meaningless names or account numbers in a registry. When our staff smiles at your return, when they ask about your welfare, and when they inquire about your plans or needs, they really mean it.

 Indulge me with something overheard at the Front Desk:

 “Mrs. Jones, it’s so wonderful to see you again. How are the grandkids? Did Joseph graduate from Cal last month? Mechanical Engineering, wasn’t it? And how’s your cat Cassie? Still tearing up the upholstery? Oh, we’ve placed an extra firm pillow in your bedroom, and we’ve put a Keurig in the kitchen in place of the coffee maker. Pedro, will you help Mrs. Jones with her luggage?”

 The Latin expression “Sui Generis” applies to San Francisco Suites more than any other “timeshare” (Dare I use that term again?) that I know. Within its category, which still remains a bit vague, it is absolutely unique. More than a place of comfort and beauty and quiet retreat in a big, noisy city, it is as our motto says, “A home away from home.”

 I’d love to hear from you of your singular experiences at the Suites.

 Best wishes,

Geoffrey Bellah, President
Board of Directors
San Francisco Suites on Nob Hill 

SAN FRANCISCO SUITES ELECTION RESULTS NOTICE

UNCONTESTED ELECTION

Sunday, February 2, 2025

The deadline for the applications for the 2 open positions for the SFS Board was February 1,2025 at 5pm.

There were 2 applications received:

Fred Munroe

Dwight Walker

The SFS Election Rules state:

“When at the close of nominations, the number of qualified candidates nominated does not exceed the number of vacancies, the candidates may be declared elected without the need of balloting and will take their seats on the date set for the annual membership meeting.”

Applications are below:

Please join me in congratulating Fred Munroe and Dwight Walker and welcoming them to take their seats at the Board of Directors Annual Meeting

Saturday, March 8,2025 at 11 am in the SF Suites Boardroom

The Annual Business Meeting Agenda will soon follow

Thank you,

Geoffrey Bellah, President
San Francisco Suites

San Francisco Suites on Nob Hill

President’s Letter

To Owners and Friends of San Francisco Suites,

The Biblical adage, “Familiarity breeds contempt,” often rings true, but as a longtime owner at San Francisco Suites, I might rephrase the same sentiment as “Familiarity leads to indifference” when it comes to appreciating my home away from home. Oh, sure, I love arriving at the Suites and being greeted by someone who knows me and whom I know as well; I love staying in my clean, comfortable, and beautiful suite; I love that the staff never, ever seem to say “no’ or “I can’t do that” to any request; and I love the idea that I will return again and have the same wonderful experience and receive the same personalized care. But is my love blinding me as well as binding me to the Suites?

It often takes a new or different perspective to see things as they really are. On reading the reviews by recent Airbnb guests to San Francisco Suites, I have realized that I may have taken for granted the qualities that distinguish us certainly from other “timeshares,” one definition of who owe are, and perhaps from other “cooperatively owned apartments,” another definition, anywhere in the world. And I have rediscovered what makes our second home in the City so unique.

As you know, we began to receive guests from Airbnb in June of this year. General Manager Reid had earlier suggested that we attempt to make up for a budget shortfall caused by the unprecedented number of deed backs, foreclosures, and delinquencies by considering Airbnb rentals, pending a change in the Rules and Regulations. This rental program, once approved by the Board, represented something new and unknown to us, but our staff, prepared to the ‘nth’ degree by General Manager Reid, approached the new program with absolute professionalism, and the positive results started to show themselves immediately, not only in escalating revenues from Airbnb rentals but in the published accolades we received from the guests. It is these reviews that have renewed my appreciation of San Francisco Suites.

One of our first guests claimed that other places where he has stayed are “stale and cookie cutter” but the Suites have “so much personality and charm that one might as well forget other Airbnbs in the City.”  He also said that “this place is honestly a hidden gem and I truly hope more people find out about it.” 

His hopes and ours have been fulfilled. A guest from New Zealand stated he was “in awe of the suite he stayed in; it was that beautiful!” Another recent guest commented that the Suites was “probably my fav place I’ve ever stayed!” A picky New Yorker admitted that the Suites “far exceeded his expectations.” A Canadian guest praised the staff as “amazing, responsive, and hospitable. We felt welcomed and at home.” Almost all of the reviewers, who are not required by Airbnb to offer comments about their stays, said that they would “definitely” return to the Suites if they have the opportunity.

Most astoundingly, as of August 22, 2024, San Francisco Suites has received only 5-star reviews. We very quickly achieved the status of being in the top 5% of favorite listings in the City, and are well on our way to becoming a “Super Host,” the highest echelon in Airbnb. This accomplishment in less than three months is almost unheard of in the online hospitality industry. 

I do not need to go on, but I will say that the service and amenities provided these guests is not different in any way from what owners expect and receive every time they stay at the Suites.

I can no longer be indifferent to what makes San Francisco Suites exceptional in spite of my long familiarity with what it offers its owners, in terms of its location, amenities, service, and comfort. These qualities, so apparent to first-time guests but perhaps overlooked by owners, will be preserved and enhanced by the Board of Directors, the General Manager, and staff – but only if the members of this Association accept that they are worth keeping, by paying their annual assessment, following the Rules and Regulations, participating if possible in governance, and always re-experiencing their excitement as new owners when they first walked into the lobby and thought to themselves, “Wow! This place is something special!”

Sincerely,

Geoffrey Bellah, President

Board of Directors

May 15, 2024

Greetings to all Owners and Friends of the Suites,

I’m always reminded of how special San Francisco Suites is when I call to make a reservation. Unlike almost all of its peers in the hospitality industry, I do not have to submit impatiently to a recorded anonymous announcement listing numbered options preceded by the admonition to “listen carefully as our numbers may have changed,” followed by a long wait punctured by repetitive advertising or insipid music. Instead, I’m greeted by a front-desk person whom I know and who knows me, and I’m able to have a real, live conversation where I can discuss my upcoming visit, state my preferences for certain suites if available, and share what’s new in my life with someone who cares about me. Later, the uniqueness of the Suites reaffirms itself upon my arrival when I am welcomed by the front desk concierge with a smile and an offer to accommodate any special requests: help with my luggage? valet parking? a dinner reservation at a popular new restaurant? a daily newspaper? The personalized attention continues throughout my stay, with housekeepers calmly waiting to clean my suite in spite of my late start, with the houseman allowing me a glass of wine after the wine and cheese hour has passed, with a kind inquiry from the General Manager about my dog’s wellbeing, and so on.

I’ve just read in the New York Times that hotels are moving toward a check-in process that foregoes the sign-in at a desk, with guests only needing a code they received online upon booking to gain entry to their room, similar to checking out where one just leaves by closing the door and walking away, without any communication or a goodbye. And daily housekeeping at hotels has gone the way of the dial telephone. At my last hotel stay, I was informed that my room would be cleaned only after I checked out. What about dirty towels? What about the overflowing wastepaper basket where I had left the remains of a fast-food lunch? “Sorry, but we don’t have staff for daily cleaning, and if we did, that would be an extra charge on your bill” was the reply.

I’m sure that most owners did not purchase their shares because they thought of San Francisco Suites as a good deal; they bought their shares because they love San Francisco, and the Suites offer convenient, comfortable, even luxurious accommodations while they are in the City where they can work, enjoy the culture, entertain guests, and just relax. I mentioned “peers in the hospitality industry” above, but I’ve come to believe, and I hope you do as well, that the Suites has no peers, for personal service, atmosphere, location, and amenities, in San Francisco, and few in this country.

You are probably aware that the Board has recently made three revisions to our Rules & Regulations, a document available to you at our website, which provides guidelines for owners, guests, and staff in our everyday operations. The most significant of these derives from a change in ownership which has been slowly but steadily making itself known to us. The San Francisco Suites on Nob Hill was established in 1982, almost 42 years ago, and many from the first generation of owners, those who bought their shares from the original developers or soon after, no longer can travel, no longer wish to travel, or have passed on. The result is an unprecedented number of owners (or their heirs) who want to sell their shares, to deed them back to the Association, or, in the worst cases, to walk away from their commitment and court collections and possibly foreclosure. Our budget depends on the receipt of the full assessment from all owners, a promise they made upon buying their shares; and when many shares no longer produce revenue because they are deeded back to the Association with no likelihood now of being sold or adopted, or because their owners refuse to pay the assessment, then the entire Association suffers. And the number of non-performing shares this year has increased egregiously.

Thus, the Board after consulting with our attorneys, has decided to rent out some of the time held by those shares deeded back to the Association or by those shares whose owners cannot or will not pay their assessments. In doing so, we hope to make up for the anticipated budget shortfall and avoid having to severely increase in the coming year the annual assessment, to reduce service or amenities, to lay off staff, or to impose a special assessment. Renting out share time through Airbnb or similar agencies will not diminish the ability of owners to reserve time at the Suites, it will not change the character or quality of the Suites, it may introduce new, potential owners to the Suites from all over the world, and most importantly it will help us fulfill our financial obligations. (As a point of comparison, all the other timeshares in our neighborhood successfully rent out unused share time.)

Our CC&Rs, in an amendment passed a few years ago, expressly forbid City Share owners from renting out their share time for commercial purposes through a third-party agency. With this in mind, the Board asked our attorneys at Adam Stirling if the prohibition applied equally to the City Share Association. Two attorneys, working separately on this question, reached the same opinion: the City Share Association is not the same legal entity as an individual City Shareowner, and must act for the financial security and betterment of the whole Association. Unlike City Share owners who would rent share time as a source of personal income, the City Share Association, as a non-profit, might rent share time not to increase revenue beyond the budget but to offset revenue loss to meet the budget requirement.

I’ve taken some time to explain the reasoning behind the new Rule #13. (Please keep in mind that it is not a rule change, as the attorneys agreed that our CC&Rs never excluded the City Share Association from renting, only the individual City Shareowners. Rule #13 seeks to summarize and clarify then what is already stated and implied in the CC&Rs, like many other rules.)

I can promise you as President of the Board and as a loyal owner that I will do all in my power to maintain and enhance the experience of staying at the Suites so that it remains that special and unique place I described at the beginning of this letter. I can also assure you that every Director on this Board is committed to a productive year of service to the Association, to guide the staff, to respond to owners, and to ensure the Suites’ financial integrity.

Sincerely,

Geoffrey Bellah
President of the Board of Directors
San Francisco Suites

Greetings, Owners,

I would like to call your attention to three proposed revisions to the Rules & Regulations which the Board discussed at its May 4, 2024, meeting. If you need clarification for any of these changes, please contact General Manager, Cynthia Reid at creidgm@sfsuitescsa.com or me at gpb1999@gmail.com. You have 28 days from this announcement to reach out to Manager Reid or to me if you have any comments. After this 28-day period, the Board will formally approve them, and they will take effect 15 days later.

1. The first revision slightly changes the fee for renting the Board Room. Previously the rule differentiated the rental fee of $30 for a reservation from the two set up and breakdown fees at $23 each. Although it may be possible to reserve and use the Board Room without needing set up or breakdown or any staff assistance, this is rarely the case. The new flat $100 fee includes the set up and breakdown and insures the availability of a staff person. Of course, there is still no charge for casual use of the Board Room not requiring a reservation.

2. The second revision changes the advance time needed to reserve Bonus Time from seven days to fourteen days. This change will allow some owners who live farther from the Suites and who must make travel arrangements, such as airline reservations or car rentals, a better chance at Bonus Time. It will also mean that all owners who plan ahead can more easily take advantage of Bonus Time. Certainly, the hope is that as more owners, their designated friends and family members, and share adopters use Bonus Time, the more revenue will be generated for the Association’s operating fund.

3. The third and last change to the Rules & Regulations is an added rule. Rule #13 under “Miscellaneous Rules” summarizes and clarifies the Second Amendment in our CC&Rs, which prohibits individual City Share owners from renting out their share time to unknown third parties through agencies such as Craigs List, eBay, Airbnb, and VRBO for commercial purposes. The rule also allows the City Share Association, however, to rent out time from non-performing shares, whose owners are unable or unwilling to pay their annual assessment. By doing so, the Association hopes to offset any loss in assessment revenue which could result in a reduction in services or amenities, staff layoffs, significant increases in the annual assessment, or a special assessment.

Here is the newly added rule:

13. Can I rent out my share time on Craigs List, eBay, Airbnb, VRBO, or other short term vacation rental agencies? No. Individual City Share owners cannot rent their regular use or bonus time to third parties without any pre-existing relationship to the same owners or the Suites, nor can they rent out share time, regular or bonus, for commercial purposes. Owners with unused regular share time might consider offering this time to other owners on the Suites’ website or exchanging their Use Period through one of the Suites’ Exchange services. These rental restrictions on individual city share owners do not apply to the City Share Association, which may rent non-performing shares in order to make up for an anticipated deficit in the annual budget.

Thank you for your attention,
Geoffrey Bellah
President of the Board of Directors
San Francisco Suites