CitiApartments was one of the largest real estate companies in San Francisco, California, which at its peak owned and managed more than 300 buildings directly and through a number of affiliates.

In recent years the companies suffered a financial downturn, and have been the subject of intense criticism and litigation for allegedly illegal business practices as a residential landlord.

CitiApartments has taken a buy and hold approach to its investments, making heavily leveraged purchases of mid-sized older buildings in nearly every neighborhood of San Francisco but mostly in the Tenderloin and Nob Hill.

On August 16, 2006, the Office of the City Attorney of San Francisco filed a lawsuit against CitiApartments and related companies and individuals claiming an "egregious pattern of illegal business practices" that amounted to a "panoply of lawlessness, intimidation tactics, [and] retaliation against residents."

In July, 2009 several additional lawsuits were filed against CitiApartments Inc. and at least 56 related entities, including one class action suit, by former tenants alleging a deliberate pattern of illegally withholding and delaying return of rental deposits.

[3] Such predictions came to pass in January, 2009, when the parent company had to assign 51 of its (then) 307 properties to one lender, UBS AG, in lieu of foreclosure, because they collectively had a negative cash flow of approximately $3 million per month.

[3] To promote its position as a caretaker of San Francisco's older housing stock, CitiApartments had co-hosted various housing-related and low-income charities and causes, and provided one nearly free studio apartment to a needy family.

It disseminated numerous press releases on the subject since the inception of the lawsuits and adopted the slogan "Restoring San Francisco's Neighborhoods.

"[15] CitiApartments through interviews and press releases categorically denied all claims, and rejected all criticism made against it with respect to violating its tenants rights.

[16] In February 2020, Four real estate companies owned by San Francisco's largest landlord, the Lembi Group, filed a bankruptcy court in California for Chapter 11 protection.