Title
First Reading of an Ordinance of the City of San Leandro to Amend San Leandro Municipal Code Chapter 4-45 to Revise the Rental Registration Filing Deadline from January 31 to July 31
Staffreport
COUNCIL PRIORITY
• Housing and Homelessness
SUMMARY
On April 21, 2025, the City Council adopted Ordinance No. 2025-002, establishing Chapter 4-45, “Rental Registry,” of the San Leandro Municipal Code. The ordinance requires residential rental property owners to register units annually no later than January 31, beginning on January 31, 2026, with the registration program supported through associated fees. The Rental Registry Ordinance will help track rental housing data in San Leandro over time to enable the current and future City Councils to make more informed decisions on tenant protections.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Introduce the first reading of an ordinance to amend San Leandro Municipal Code Chapter 4-45 to revise the rental registration filing deadline from January 31 to July 31.
BACKGROUND
Implementation of the Rent Registry Program (Program) is a priority in the FY 2025-2026 City Council Work Plan. While the Program is underway, additional software development has delayed the implementation timeline, making it necessary to revise the filing deadline for annual registration statements. Delay factors include analysis of recent changes in software pricing, inter-departmental evaluation of integrating rent registry software into existing City financial and other software systems, and decision to use a request for proposal (RFP) process for transparency and better bids. If adopted, the proposed ordinance will set the landlord registration deadline as July 31, 2026, and July 31 of each year thereafter. Aligning the deadline with the start of each new fiscal year is appropriate and consistent with the practice of other cities with rent registries. The deliverables and timelines in the City Council Work Plan of July 14, 2026, will be revised accordingly to reflect this adjustment. The proposed ordinance would also change the relevant date for data collection from January 1 to July 1 of each year.
Analysis
The Program requires specialized software for rent registry program administration. The development process includes procurement, system configuration, staff training, and full implementation leading to program launch. Ensuring the software is set up properly is critical to the success of program implementation. The project is progressing, with software development on track for completion in July 2026.
Previous Actions
On April 21, 2025, the City Council adopted Ordinance No. 2025-002, establishing Chapter 4-45, “Rental Registry,” of the San Leandro Municipal Code.
General Plan Policies
2023-2031 Housing Element, Chapter 6, Section 6.2 (Goals and Policies):
• Goal 3: Promote Conservation and Preservation of Existing Housing Stock
• P.3.5 Mobile Home Park Preservation
• Goal 4: Protect Residents from Displacement
• P.4.1 Minimize Displacement of Vulnerable Residents
• P.4.2 Strengthen Tenant Protections
Environmental Review
The amended ordinance is not a project under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and is therefore exempt from environmental review pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3), as it has no potential to cause a significant effect on the environment.
Summary of Public Outreach Efforts
In preparation for Rent Registry implementation, the City will conduct an extensive public outreach campaign in Spring/Summer 2026 to better prepare and inform San Leandro housing providers about the registration process.
Earlier outreach on the ordinance was completed in Fall 2023 and included comprehensive engagement with the community and key stakeholders. Translation services were provided in Spanish and Chinese. Information and materials were posted on the City’s Housing Protections website (www.sanleandro.org/housingprotections), and email notifications were sent to the City’s database of interested parties.
Legal Analysis
The City Attorney’s Office prepared the ordinance.
Financial Impacts
The Program budget was included in the City’s Biennial Budget for FY 2025-2026 and FY 2026-2027 adopted by City Council on June 16, 2025. It is anticipated that the Program will become self-funded through collected program fees, with General Fund support gradually declining and ultimately eliminated. Staff estimates that it will take three to five years to achieve full compliance from all rental units required to register under the program.
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A- An Ordinance of the City of San Leandro to Amend San Leandro Municipal Code Chapter 4-45 to Revise the Rental Registration Filing Deadline from January 31 to July 31
Attachment B- Redlined Ordinance of the City of San Leandro to Amend San Leandro Municipal Code Chapter 4-45 to Revise the Rental Registration Filing Deadline from January 31 to July 31
PREPARED BY: Kerri Heusler, Housing Manager, Community Development Department