Title
Draft Residential Rent Stabilization Ordinance and Preliminary Cost Options
Staffreport
COUNCIL PRIORITY
• Housing and Homelessness
SUMMARY
Lack of affordable rental housing, lack of new rental housing construction, and displacement of tenants leading to homelessness or at risk homelessness are key factors that high cost regions like the San Francisco Bay Area, and cities and counties within them such as San Leandro, continue to face. Enhancing housing protections for tenants has been a City Council priority since 2023. In April 2025, City Council adopted a Rental Registry Ordinance to help track long term rental housing data in San Leandro and for present and future City Councils to make more informed decisions on housing protections. In early 2025, City Council also made exploration of a residential rent stabilization ordinance a top priority under its Council Housing/Homeless Priority Work Plan for FY 2025-2026.
On July 17, the City Council Rules Committee reviewed the preliminary, draft Residential Rent Stabilization Ordinance and opened a 60-day public comment period (July 17- September 17). Staff also conducted public outreach in late Summer 2025. See “Summary of Public Outreach” below for more details.
As part of the Housing/Homelessness Council Priority Work Plan, staff had scheduled to provide City Council an update on the draft ordinance, related budget/cost options, and Summer 2025 public outreach efforts at the October 13 Work Session.
RECOMMENDATIONS
None, as this is a City Council Work Session to receive City Council and public input.
BACKGROUND AND ANALYSIS
See Attachment C, PowerPoint, for tonight’s Work Session Presentation.
Previous Actions
• February 2023: City Council included housing protections under Housing/Homeless Priority
• July 2023: City Council requested assessing housing protections not currently in San Leandro (stricter rent control, just cause & tenant anti-harassment, plus rental registry), existing housing protection programs & cost impacts to the City; directed to City Council Rules Committee
• February 1, 2025: City Council affirmed housing protections prioritization under Housing/Homeless Priority at its annual planning session
• March-April 2025: City Council adopted Rental Registry Ordinance
• March 17, 2025: City Council directed staff to proceed with exploring a rent stabilization ordinance as top priority from other renter housing protections and adopted Rental Registry Ordinance (first reading)
Committee Review and Actions
• January 2025 - City Council Rules Committee approved draft Rental Registry Ordinance to forward to City Council and reviewed other housing protection priorities including rent stabilization
• March 2025 - Staff presented rent stabilization and costs impact policy considerations to City Council Rules Committee
• May 2025 - Staff presented rent cap and capital improvement pass through considerations for City Council Rules Committee direction and a proposed rent stabilization ordinance timeline
• July 2025 - City Council Rules Committee reviewed preliminary draft Rent Stabilization Ordinance and opened a 60-day public comment period from July 17 through September 17.
Applicable General Plan Policies
Under Section 6.2 (Goals and Policies) in Chapter 6 of the 2023-2031 Housing Element, the following goals/policies apply:
Goal 4: Protect Residents from Displacement
o P.4.1 Minimize Displacement of Vulnerable Residents. The City shall make all neighborhoods places of opportunity while minimizing the involuntary displacement of vulnerable populations, such as low-income households, seniors on fixed incomes, and people with disabilities, due to increased housing costs.
o P.4.2 Strengthen Tenant Protections. The City shall explore options to strengthen measures for eviction prevention, limits on sudden or annual rent increases, and tenant relocation assistance
Summary of Public Outreach Efforts
Comprehensive public outreach and engagement to key stakeholders occurred in late August/September 2025 during the 60 day public comment period (July 17 - September 17) for the preliminary draft Rent Stabilization Ordinance. Below is a summary:
• Community-wide meetings
• August 28 (online): 15 attendees
• September 9 (in person at Senior Community Center): 49 attendees
• Stakeholder meetings
o August 26 (online) - Housing providers stakeholder meeting. 13 attendees
o September 4 (in person at Senior Community Center) - Tenants stakeholder meeting: 15 attendees
• 19 written comments were received during the 60-day public comment period.
• All community-wide and stakeholder meetings had Spanish and Cantonese interpreters available, and all flyers/notices were in English, Spanish and Chinese.
• Outreach methods to market the meetings included: 1) email blast to the City’s extensive email distribution list of housing providers, tenants, advocates on both sides, associations/organization for housing providers and tenants, general public, 2) posting on social media by City Public Information Office, 3) press release/San Leandro Times article, 4) posting in City facilities (libraries, Senior Community Center, Marina Community Center, City Hall), 5) posting in Spanish and Asian frequented locations (including New Sang Chong, 88 Manor Market, Guadalajara shopping center, Asian Health Services, Vietnamese American Community Center of the East Bay), and 5) distribution to City funded public services providers.
• All meeting/focus group presentations and summaries are posted on City Rent Program ( <https://www.sanleandro.org/rentprogram>) and Housing Protections webpages (<https://www.sanleandro.org/1264/Housing-Protections>)
Financial Impacts
Under preliminary review tonight. Rent stabilization program cost options are included in Attachment C, PowerPoint.
ATTACHMENTS
A: Draft Residential Rent Stabilization Ordinance (redlined)
B: Draft Residential Rent Stabilization Ordinance - Stakeholder and Community Meetings Summary
C: October 13 PowerPoint: Draft Residential Rent Stabilization Ordinance
PREPARED BY: Tom Liao, Director, Community Development Department