Stephen Lam/Reuters San Francisco can commandeer privately owned property to use during an emergency, including this coronavirus pandemic. The city would need to compensate property owners, and violation of a commandeer order issued by the mayor or county health officer could be punishable by $1,000 in daily fines, jail time, or both. City officials continue to debate how best to house and protect those on the frontlines of the pandemic who need isolation housing, as well as its homeless population. An emergency measure passed Tuesday would require the city to find and rent 8,250 hotel rooms for that purpose, with 7,000 allocated to protect its entire homeless community.