Title
Staff Report for an Ordinance Adding a Tenant Relocation Assistance Program to the City of San Leandro Municipal Code to Require the Payment of Tenant Relocation Assistance for Landlord-Caused Terminations of Tenancy and to Require Additional Notice Prior to Termination of Tenancy
Staffreport
SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS
On June 19, 2017, the City Council voted 6 -1 to add the following changes to the proposed Ordinance to establish a Tenant Relocation Assistance Program:
1) Decrease the rent increase threshold from greater than 15% to greater than 12% of current rent,
2) Exempt rental properties of 4 units or less from the proposed Ordinance,
3) Allow landlords to deduct tenant relocation assistance payments required under California Health and Safety Code Sections 17975-17975.10 from the relocation assistance payment imposed by the City's Ordinance. The deduction relates to State law that allows local building officials to issue enforcement orders for uninhabitable residential rental properties (e.g., red-tagging), which triggers payment of relocation expenses for the displaced tenants, and
4) Allow landlords to deduct from the final tenant relocation assistance payment the tenant-caused damages not covered by a security deposit.
Staff recommends that the City Council adopt the attached Ordinance adding Chapter 4.37 "Tenant Relocation Assistance" to the San Leandro Municipal Code.
BACKGROUND AND ANALYSIS
Below are notable features of the proposed Ordinance based on the City Council Rules Committee's comments, and public input.
I. Eligibility
A. Tenants are entitled to relocation assistance if the termination of tenancy is due to "landlord-caused termination." The Ordinance defines a "landlord-caused termination" as any landlord-caused action, including a rent increase that is 12% or greater than the base rent during a twelve-month period, which causes a tenant to elect to not remain in his/her unit. Exceptions to "landlord-caused terminatio...
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