PRESS RELEASE
February 9, 2016
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Debbie Potter
Community Development Director
510-747-6890
City Council to Vote on Rent Review, Rent Stabilization and
Eviction Protections Ordinance at its February 16th Meeting
On Tuesday, February 16, the Alameda City Council will consider an ordinance to protect tenants from the rapidly increasing cost of rental housing that is the result of rising rents and a tight rental market. The City is proposing a new policy that is a hybrid of other rent stabilization models, while building on its existing framework.
In 1979, the City implemented the Rent Review Advisory Committee (RRAC), which is comprised of renters and property owners and serves as a rent mediation process. RRAC has been successful in meeting the community needs. This proposed policy adds a layer of protection to strengthen the RRAC process and implement more tools for tenant protection.
On February 16, the City Council will consider a proposed ordinance in which all residential rental property owners will be required to initiate a rent mediation process through the City’s Rent Review Advisory Committee (RRAC) if they seek rent increases over five percent (5%). Rather than creating a cap on rent increases, as in traditional rent control, this ordinance sets a “trigger” at 5% so that property owners will be required to initiate the rent mediation process. It also includes a requirement for a binding hearing if both sides do not reach agreement. Due to state law, the binding hearing would only apply to multi-family rental units built before February 1, 1995.
The ordinance also implements eviction protections to reduce the number of tenants who are evicted solely to raise rents and provides for payment of relocation benefits. It contains limitations on “no cause” evictions, in which no reason is provided for the eviction. It also requires relocation assistance for “no cause” evictions and for “no fault” evictions, which are not due to any fault of the tenant but may be needed by the property owners, such as to move in a family member.
The proposed ordinance also contains the following provisions:
- Requirement for landlords to offer a one-year lease to new tenants and, if rent is increased, to existing tenants;
- Limit rent increases to no more than one per year;
- No cause evictions permitted with limitations;
- Tenant relocation assistance for certain types of evictions;
- Preparation and approval of a Capital Improvement Plan prior to evicting tenants for substantial rehabilitation;
- Monetary penalties and enforcement; and
- An annual review of the ordinance and a sunset provision.
The February 16 Council meeting will start at 7:00 p.m. at the Alameda High School’s Kofman Auditorium, 2200 Central Avenue.
The proposed ordinance and related staff report are posted on the City’s website at www.alamedaca.gov/agendas. More information about the moratorium and the City’s current rent review process (RRAC) can be found at http://alamedaca.gov/city-hall/rent-review-advisory-committee-rrac.
