Redwood City Council set today to vote on restrictive property rights measures under the guise of "tenant protections." Cities around the Bay Area are slipping similar measures in under the cover of "tenant protections, rent stabilization" or other common sense language that seems like positive steps forward in addressing the urgent housing crisis we're facing. Instead of cities reducing construction and permit red tape, costs, and making building new housing more streamlined, cities slam existing and future property owners with the burden of shouldering the monumental housing issue. This measure, which would go into effect, Jan 1 2026, moves restrictions from a minimum of 5 units, to a minimum of 2 units, meaning average mom and pop property owners who rely on the income from their properties, will face an uphill battle to keep and maintain their properties.
Make your voice heard by joining me at tonight's Redwood City Council Meeting.
Here is a link to the full agenda and full language of the measure set to be adopted.
Below is a summary of the measure which does exclude single family homes at this time.
Redwood City Tenant Protection Ordinance (Chapter 42 of the Redwood City Code), which replaces the former Chapters 42 (Relocation Assistance) and 42A (Minimum Lease Term).
The ordinance is intended to promote housing stability by providing just cause for eviction protections, requiring minimum lease terms, and providing relocation assistance2. It goes into effect on January 1, 20263.Here is a summary of its key provisions:
🛡️ Just Cause for Eviction Protections (Section 42.5)After a tenant has continuously and lawfully occupied a rental unit for 12 months (or 24 months in some cases with added adult tenants), a landlord cannot terminate the tenancy without a just cause.
At-Fault Just Cause (Examples): Default in rent payment, breach of a material lease term (after a written notice to correct the violation), committing a nuisance or waste, or refusing to execute a similar lease extension. For curable violations, the landlord must first issue a notice to cure.
No-Fault Just Cause (Examples):Owner/Family Intent to Occupy: The owner or their spouse, domestic partner, children, grandchildren, parents, or grandparents intend to occupy the unit for a minimum of 12 continuous months as their primary residence.Withdrawal of the unit from the rental market.Landlord complying with a government/court order relating to habitability or to vacate.Intent to undertake a Substantial Remodel.Intent to Demolish the rental units.
⚖️ Minimum Lease Term Requirements (Section 42.4)Upon initial lease, a landlord must offer a prospective tenant a written lease with a minimum term of one (1) year.The tenant must reject the offer in writing within 15 days to enter into a shorter-term lease.The rent for the one-year lease must be set at a rate certain and cannot be modified during that initial term.Landlords must provide all prospective tenants with a notice (in English and Spanish, in at least 12-point capitalized text) summarizing their right to a minimum one-year lease term.
💰 Relocation Assistance (Section 42.6)If a tenancy is terminated due to a no-fault just cause, relocation assistance is required161616.Minimum Assistance (All Tenants):Landlords must either:Provide a direct payment equal to one (1) month of the tenants current rent.Waive in writing the payment of rent for the final month of the tenancy.This assistance must be provided within 15 calendar days of serving the notice.Additional Assistance (Eligible amp; Special-Circumstances Households):Eligible Residential Households (those with annual income not exceeding 80% of San Mateo Countys area median income, with current rent payments) are entitled to additional assistance, which includes:A full refund of the security deposit (minus certain damages).A 60-day subscription to a rental agency service.The cash equivalent of three (3) months of Fair Market Rent (FMR) (minus the amount paid for the minimum assistance in (A))24.Special-Circumstances Households (e.g., elderly, disabled, or long-term tenants) get one (1) additional month of FMR, for a maximum of four months FMR (minus the amount paid in (A)). FMR is based on the HUD FMR for San Mateo County for a similar-sized unit.
🏠 Right to Return. Tenants displaced due to an Intent to Substantially Remodel have a right of first refusal to re-occupy the unit upon completion. The landlord must re-offer the unit at the rent that was in effect when the tenancy was terminated, plus any increase allowed by the Tenant Protection Act of 2019 (AB 1482).
🚨 Tenant Remedies (Section 42.8)A landlords failure to comply with any provision of the Chapter gives the tenant a complete affirmative defense in any action by the landlord to recover possession or collect rent. A tenant may also bring a civil action to seek injunctive relief or to recover actual damages, treble damages (for willful action), and potentially punitive damages, attorneys fees, and costs.